Purple for Christmas!

Hey there - I hope you're having a great week! We got nearly a foot of snow overnight - what a perfect time to stay in & craft!! My thoughtful neighbor cleared my driveway for me so I didn't have to go outdoors at all today. 

Thought I'd make a card for the March Christmas Kickstart Challenge where Jo & elf Arlene (a sister Die Cut Diva) are doing non-traditional Christmas colors (no red, green, or gold). Arlene made a gorgeous postage collage using purple which is my favorite color. Decided to jump in with purple combined with pink.

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; 

Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes; 

My Favorite Things Orange Sherbet;

Spellbinders Betterpress Pebble; scraps

Dies - Spellbinders 2024 12 Days of Stitchmas (Day 11);

Waffleflower Dashed Snowflake Panel;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Press plate w/die - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips;

Other - foam tape; DMC floss 327 & 210

I decided it was past time to pull out something from the 2024 Spellbinders 12 Days of Stitchmas. Cindy (Escape to Stamping) enabled me to purchase this bundle after I saw her gorgeous cards. See her take on day 11 HERE. Note: I linked to Spellbinders in the supply list but I bought mine from Frantic Stamper at a nice discount; they still have two left HERE as of this post date. Sadly, FS is going out of business so check them out (uncompensated endorsement; I'll miss them!). 

I opened all the Stitchmas windows in order and "processed" the contents into storage bags before Christmas. Just hadn't had time to use anything until now... I die cut the wreath with the stitching plate & stitched with DMC floss. Cut a second wreath with no stitching to back it. Then I die cut and assembled a double bow. The center of the bow was cut with an oval die. Added it to the wreath.

Next, I die cut a pale pink stitched rectangle, then ran it though the Vagabond with the WF stitched snowflake plate for a lovely texture. Hard to see in the photo. Added it to an A2 plaid panel that I'd glued to an A2 card. Popped the stitched wreath on with foam tape. Then I added a pressed sentiment from the stash.

I'll also add this card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge #72 since the wreath die is newly used. And to the current Merry Little Christmas Challenge #61 where Anything Goes!

Here's a bonus - another Christmas card, this one with some upcycling: 

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A7 card;

Neenah white; Betterpress Porcelain;

scrap of red glitter paper;

Penny Black Holiday Trimmings

Dies - Poppystamps Merry Christmas Moonlight Script

(retired at PS but HERE at Frantic Stamper);

Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies 

Press plate w/die - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips 

Other - Copic Y26; Park Lane & Honey Bee gems;

Black Soot Distress Ink; Upcycled invitation

Last year I received an invitation to an annual Hallmark ornament event. I love to save parts of these invitations as they're so gorgeous. I thought it was finally time to use this one!! It featured a round bauble surrounded by foliage. The event information took up the center of the bauble so I simple covered it with a die cut circle (edged with Black Soot). I used a soft PB holiday pattern that I thought worked well with the background. Added some shading to the printed topper using a gold Copic and a hanger string of gems. Cut the panel down & inked the edges, then matted on an A7 gold card. 

I die cut a sentiment using a new-to-me die set from Poppystamps. It was new holiday last year but already gone at PS. I got it at an overstock sale at my local store - yay for me - love, love, love this sentiment! I die cut the words in red glitter paper and the outline in white, then added an outline shadow cut from part of an A7 gold card. Also added some gold gems to the centers of the flowers on the patterned bauble, plus a pressed sub-sentiment strip.

For the card's inside, I used a Taylored Expressions holiday Insider, adding a strip of the foliage pattern that the invitation had on its inside. The Insiders are for A2 cards so anytime I repurpose them for A7 cards, I add a patterned strip.

That's it for today - thanks for stopping by & happy crafting!!