Merry Christmas Cardinal

I am still working on my Christmas cards.  I love to create winter scenes and have another card using the Garden Notes Garden Birds die set.  I also love Suzanne Cannon's new A Way With Words small Merry Christmas die set.  This sentiment fits so perfect on cards that you want to add a lot of other elements.

This is a 6-inch card.  I used watercolor paper for the background and the snow bank on the bottom of the card because I liked the added texture.  

Use the Earth & Sky Stencil to lightly sponge blue ink on the top of watercolor paper.  I used Stormy Sky Distress Oxide Ink.  You want to create a very light background so just lightly sponge the ink around the cloud stencil.

Use the A Way With Words small Merry Christmas die set and die cut the sentiment using Ladybug Red Soft Finish Cardstock.  Attach to the upper corner of the stenciled sky.

Use the Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine Cone die set and die cut the pine branches 5 times.  I used a sparkly white cardstock from the craft store.  Attach the branches to the upper left corner, as shown.

Use the Reindeer die set and die cut one snow bank, using watercolor paper.  Attach along the bottom edge of the card, gluing only around the sides and bottom.  Leave the top open so you can tuck in the fence posts.

Use the ModaScrap Wood Effects card stock.  Use the light wood plank piece to create the fence posts.  Use a paper  cutter and cut narrow strips approximately 3 inches long.  I used 8 strips for the fence, so I cut 4 of the wood planks in half.    Round off the corners on one end, with scissors.  Add Kids Glue to the back of each strip and tuck down in the snow bank, making the top of the posts uneven. The fence only goes half way across the card.   I did not add glue to the upper half inch of each strip because I wanted it to stand away from the background.  Add two strips of the same card stock to go across the wood fence to make it look realistic.  

Use the Reindeer die set and die cut 3 pine trees.  I used a sparkly white card stock, the same as used for the pine branches.  Use a piece of fun foam and die cut one tree.  Attach the fun foam to the back of one of the trees - this will be the tree in the foreground.  Use a strip of 6mm Clear Double Sided Adhesive down the length of two trees and attach to the right lower side, covering the edge of the fence.  Put a piece of Clear Double Sided Adhesive on the back of the tree with the fun foam, and attach on the lower edge of the card, as shown.

For extra snow on the fence and along the snow bank, add some Kids Choice Glue with a toothpick then sprinkle on Cool Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter.