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Thanks for visiting my blog. As the title suggests, I love to scrapbook, stamp, and sing! I will share cards and scrapbook pages I create, as well as information about my music - Barbershop harmony.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Stockings on the mantle

Merry Monday everyone! It's a gloomy, rainy day here - soooo unusual for February in Minnesota!! Well, nothing to bring sunshine like a fun Merry Monday challenge - this week Lori challenges us to use a stocking on your Christmas card.

photo credit

fireplace view 1
Supplies: Paper - Authentique (assorted 6x6 pad) for brick, My Mind's Eye Wood Designer cardstock for mantle, base, log, and flooring), Penny Black Holiday Trimmings (wallpaper), the Paper Studio Glitter for stockings, Neenah Solar white for stocking trim, presents and banners, Hero Arts Blush Mix Layering paper (grenadine), scraps of yellow and black
Die - My Favorite Things Fireplace and Blueprints 21 (pierced rectangle), Tim Holtz Alterations 658760 (beaded garland)
Stamps - Hero Arts CL727 Lisa's Mix & Match Messages (banners), CL983 Holiday Tags, CM119 Holiday Cheer (presents)
Inks - Distress Inks - Cracked Pistachio, Lucky Clover, Fired Brick; Memento Black
Other - Copic Markers, foam tape

If interested, here's my creative process for this card - Read the challenge, thought about it while I ate breakfast and started some laundry. Bing - I have a never-before-used Fireplace die set from My Favorite Things - thought it might work. I easily found the die because I started organizing my sets last week - otherwise I'd have had the incredible journey looking for it - LOL. Yes, it has three little stockings!! Had to snip all the die pieces apart with my wire cutter - wish I would've done that when I got the set (that is my new resolution). Then I started to ponder from what paper to cut the fireplace die??? Hmmm - I remembered a piece of brick paper in an Authentique pad and spotted a scrap in my scrap box. Ugh, not a big enough scrap - darn. Flipped through a pile of paper pads and finally found one last remaining piece of that paper - phew! This process went on with all the other die cut bits - good thing, though, I cut enough for two cards while I was at it.

I remembered a Tim Holtz garland I've used on other cards - thought it might work so cut a bit - yes, it worked! Next I needed some "wallpaper" and "flooring" for my scene, added it to a folded card, then adhered the fireplace with foam tape. I decided the scene needed a rug (used a cloud die). Hey, a few presents might look cute - stamped, colored and fussy cut, added to scene. What to do above the fireplace? I considered doing a holiday "painting" but ended up just doing a sentiment banner and calling it done. Then I grabbed a photo - done in about 3 hours, including the load of laundry washed, dried, and put away between card steps. Off to run errands, then time for lunch and that was my morning!

Such fun - thanks to Lori and the other Merry-Makers for great inspiration cards - be sure to check them out and play along if you want a head start on your Christmas cards. Here's a side view for a better look at the dimension (lots of foam tape on this one):

fireplace view 2

Oh, and if you're interested, go here to see an early fireplace card I made back in 2009 for a Hero Arts challenge. On that card I created my own fireplace and hand drew the bricks - using patterned paper and dies was a lot easier!! Thanks for stopping and have a crafty week!!

13 comments:

snappy scrappy said...

FAB Christmas card!!!

Rosemary said...

you are on a roll, linda.. another absolutely fabulous design!! perfect take on the MM inspiration photo!!

Karen L K said...

Wow Linda that is a great scene you made! Well worth digging around to find all the pieces and dies and such. So nice!

Betty said...

wonderful little scene Linda - love that hearth rug!! great added touch!

Greta said...

So creative--wonderful job of crafting, Linda!

Marcia Hill said...

Amazing what those little pieces of scrap can turn into, isn't it?! FABULOUS card Linda...especially love those glittery little stockings hanging over your lovely fireplace! Well done! Thanks so much for sharing with us this week at Merry Monday!! :0)

Jean said...

A perfect holiday scene - festive and cozy!

Lynn said...

Thank you for sharing how you compiled your image. This is a great card, and I really need to be toasting my toes by that fire right now!

JD/ Jill said...

Wow! This card is amazing! So many neat elements!

Heather Hopson said...

Your card is beautiful. All the different elements and best of all the stockings hanging over the fireplace mantel. Well done!

Amanda said...

Very Christmassy, I want to be in front of that fire! Love your design process...sounds a bit like mine xxx Amanda

Notes by Nina said...

Wonderful festive scene, Thank you for joining us for Merry Monday.

Cindy C. said...

Love this classic Christmas scene, stockings hung over the fire place!! So cozy!