Slimline Christmas Card

Good Morning,

I am still working on a few more Christmas cards.  Today I have a slimline card created using a Spellbinders Christmas border die set and Susan's Garden Poinsettia.

Using the Spellbinders Christmas Strip & Borders die set, a variety of dies in this set were used to create the pretty border. This die set originally sold for $40 and is on sale right now at Spellbinders for $10.  I have it linked below.   The borders were die cut using white card stock and layered over red cardstock.  Some red flat-back pearls were added to the berries on the border and a yellow rhinestone added to the center of the die cut poinsettia in the design.

Susan's new Hemlock & Chickadee die set was used to die the hemlock branches.  They were die cut using watercolor paper, colored with OLO markers and shaped using tools in Susan's Flower Tool Kit.

Susan's Poinsettia die set was used to create the poinsettia.  Sorry but I couldn't find this die set to link.  The poinsettia and leaves were die cut using Susan's Specialty Cardstock, colored using OLO markers and shaped using her Flower Tool Kit.  I used Beacon Kids Glue to assemble.  In the center I used small Styrofoam balls colored yellow green and on top added a red Prill.  A tiny bit of yellow pollen was added.

I used Susan's new Snow Garden Sentiment set to red foil the Merry Christmas and die cut it using the matching die in this set.  It was attached using dimensional tape.    

For additional embellishment, I added a few tiny rhinestones around the border and additional red flat pearls.  Along the top, I added a narrow strip of red mirror cardstock. 

This card can be mailed in a slimline acrylic box purchased from clearbags.com.

If the links aren't showing below, click on this post title (Slimline Christmas Card) right above the picture of the card.

Creating dimensional berry branch tutorial

Good Morning,

What weird weather we are having!   Autumn did not last long.  We have already had some snow and now days of cold rain, frost and fog.   Good time to stay indoors and work on a few more Christmas cards.  

Today, I decided to experiment and see if I could create dimensional berry branches.  If you need directions on creating berries with the little Styrofoam balls, you can go to my blog on this  link.

Susan has several different berry branch dies.  I used one of them and die cut the berry branch using watercolor paper. Die cut two identical branches.  This is a little heavier weight than Susan's Specialty Cardstock that I use for creating her flowers. Color the branches either brown or green. 

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In order to create the branches so they could be dimensional in the arrangement, I cut the berry branch apart into small clusters and glued them to a piece of thin floral wire.  When cutting apart, place two identical branches together because you will glue one piece on top of the wire and one identical piece on the bottom.  This gives the berry branch stability.  The wire is thin so it fits along the center of the branch and the two glued pieces hold it inside the branch. 

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 Now you can glue the berries on to the berry branch on to each berry space on the branch.  I let them dry a little to set, then glue a few more on top in between the berries to create dimension.  Once they are dry, use a black fine tip pen to push down on top of each berry for realism.  When you are ready too insert the berry stems into your arrangement, you can cut off some of the extra wire below the berries.  With the berries on the wired branch, you can lift the ends up so they are very dimensional in your arrangement. This was a little extra work, but I really like how they look in the arrangement.  

 For my background, I used the Spellbinders Holiday Floral Swag 3-D embossing folder.  

Create the poinsettia using Susan's Poinsettia die set It was die cut using Susan's Specialty Cardstock, colored and shaped using tools from Susan's Flower Tool Kit.  In the ecnter I added green Styrofoam balls with yellow and red Prills on top.  

Susan's new American Holly die set was used for the holly.  They were die cut using watercolor paper, once shaped, clear crystal glaze was brushed on to give them the waxy appearance.  

Susan's Hemlock & Chickadee die set was used to die cut the hemlock branches.

For the sentiment, I used a GinaK foiled greeting.  It was die cut using a circle die and attached with dimensional tape.

Hope you have fun creating your dimensional berry branches.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Black-Eyed Susan Shadow Box

Good Morning,

Today I have a 5x7 inch Shadow Box Card.  For instructions for this style card, I followed instructions on Jennifer McGuires YouTube Video - Shadow Box Cards.  On both the top and bottom edges, I used the Score Board to add three score lines. On the inside of the card, I used the Spellbinders Leafy 3-D embossing folder to emboss a 5x7 inch piece of white cardstock.  This shadow box does fold down flat.  

Using Susan's new Black Eyed Susan Die Set, the three flowers were created.  They were die cut using Susan's Specialty Cardstock, colored with OLO Markers.  For the center I used a half pearl bead and glued pollen over the top.  You could cut a Styrofoam ball in half and do the same thing.  Our neighbor has a yard full of these flowers and I was trying to duplicate them.

Susan's Autumn Foliage die set was used for the Acacia leafy branch.  They were did cut using watercolor paper, colored and shaped using the tools in Susan's Flower Tool Kit.  Red Styrofoam berries were added.  

On the outside of the shadowbox, I used the Autumn Foliage die set and die cut the maple leaves.  Ranger Mica Stain was used to color the leaves.  

On of Susan's stamps was used for the Sentiment.  It was die cut using a rectangle die.  A slightly larger rectangle was also die cut and the sentiment added in the center with dimensional tape.  One leaf was added behind the smaller rectangle on the upper right corner.