The Creation Process for My 2017 Christmas Cards

~First is the Old-World Santa - Rudolph Card~

This is honestly how it all began….

In December 2016, I decided on an Old-World theme for my 2017 Christmas cards!  I found an internet image of an Old-World Santa with very kind eyes that I absolutely loved!  
Michael’s had their Christmas items on clearance and I hoped to find something rustic & 'natural' for my cards.  Then, I couldn’t believe my eyes!  Recollections wood tags!!!!!!!!!!  OMG!  I bought every pack they had left (reg $4 – for only 80 cents each)! 

   

After a very successful Christmas clearance shopping spree, the online search for Christmas paper began.  "Naturally" the colors should include reds, greens, browns & perhaps gold.  All of that changed when I viewed Maja Design's Vintage Frost collection

 with an absolutely gorgeous color palette!!! 

Even more convincing was the page "14th of December"!!  

I actually counted the number of Santas on the page and was able to determine the approximate size of each based on the number of them on this 12x12 paper!  

I knew that they would fit wonderfully on the little wood rounds!!  

So, out with the internet Santa image and in with these beautiful Maja Design Santas!!

Unbelievable how perfect this worked out!  
Hummmmm…this was meant to be for sure!

Look at all of the Santas!

There are two Santas on this page and I chose the one with the plum & ivory suit. 

With these colors, the definitive color palette of plum & cadet-blue was set! 

I punched out each Santa with a 1-1/2” circle punch & inked the edges in Raisin color.


Then I adhered them to the wood pieces with Beacon 3-in-1 glue.
Rustic natural jute double bows were hand tied;

then hot glued to the Santa wood rounds.

Cheery Lynn's Wreath Strip die cuts were perfectly sized to place behind the 
Santa wood rounds to look like the Christmas tree he is carrying!

A reindeer just had to be part of this design to add to the imagination.

I bought the adorable 1” sized Dusty Attic Mini Reindeer! 

I simply inked them in Chestnut color.

I couldn’t resist adding a touch of Christmas Red Stickles to the nose tip of each : ) 

After all, Rudolph DOES guide Santa's sleigh!

Also in my never ending search for just the right embellishments, 
I ‘studied’ poinsettia dies online. 

**NOTE: Some poinsettia dies on the market have leaves shaped like holly leaves and NOT like a poinsettia, so be careful in your selection.** 

I settled on Impression Obsession Small Poinsettia dies 
because they were the correct leaf shape and also the perfect size for my cards! 

These wonderful sharp dies are made in the USA.
Maja Design papers are very thick and these little dies cut them very easily!

The beautiful plum colored page named “3^rd of December” was used for the poinsettias.  

The largest and smallest die cuts are plum. 
The middle die is cut from the backside of the same page for coordinating contrast.

Each card contains 3 poinsettias so that means 9 die cuts per card.

Using a craft nib & Dark Brown chalk ink, 
I outlined the edges of 144 die cuts for my 16 cards!

Here is the difference edge inking can make –

Inking gives outline & wonderful dimension. 

After pinching each leaf in half, lightly misting with water 

and then heat setting with a heating tool, 
each die cut then retained its shape.  
Each layer is glued to the next, alternating the leaves. 

In the center of the top layer which is the smallest die cut, 

small (4MM) brown beads are hot glued in place. 

Yes you did the math correctly….144 beads needed to complete my 16 cards.

Using the bottom strip 
(you know the brand & page name strip at the bottom of scrapbook pages?) 
from the page named “16^th of December”, 

I was able to make a nice holiday sentiment!

These are edge inked in Dark Brown chalk ink 
and then given dimension with foam tape underneath.

The ivory color of the “19^th of December” page was perfect to use for the main card.
I inked the edges in Raisin color.

When folded, the light plum colored design on Side B makes a pretty inside for the card. 

"Merry Christmas” is computer printed in a dark plum color using the Old English font.  

My cards are 5” x 6-3/4” & fit perfectly in 5-1/4” x 7-1/4” greeting card envelopes.

A short back track for a moment - 
I cut & distressed papers for the layered pieces on the front of the cards.

The first layer is 4-1/2” x 6” and the top layer is 4” x 5-1/2”.  
The colors & printed designs in this collection are fabulous!

The top layer is splattered with white gesso to mimic snow.

A fan brush produced tiny spots, like very light snow.

Isn’t the printed design in this paper so stunning?!

Here’s the completed Christmas card I created.

~This is the Santa Snowflake Card ~

Next, I began making simpler cards using the same gorgeous 
Vintage Frost collection by Maja Design.
I used one 12x12 scrapbook page to make TWO cards, 
so these are a little bit smaller than the other ones.

I used a pretty Spellbinders D-lite die Medallion Seven that reminds me of a snowflake.

Using the leftover paper pieces from the Santa-Rudolph card (backside of page named 19th of December) 
I cut a 3.5" x 3.5" square; distressed the edges; inked with Raisin pigment ink and 
die cut the snowflake in the center before adhering it to the main card.
A circle punched Santa is placed in the center using foam tape for a little dimension.

Inside the card is a cut out sentiment 
from the bottom strip of the page named 16th of December.
It's edge inked in Raisin color.

Thanks so very much for visiting!  
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Lisa : )

Products used:

Santa - Rudolph cards:

Maja Design – Vintage Frost collection
 -      19^th of December (main card)

-      13^th of December (Distressed Layer 1)

-       4^th of December backside (Distressed Layer 2)

-      14^th of December (Santa punched circles)

-      3^rd of December (for poinsettias)

-      16^th of December (backside btm strip holiday sentiment)

The Dusty Attic – mini Reindeer

Sizzix – Big Shot & Magnetic Platform

Paper Studios (Hobby Lobby) - 1.5" Circle Punch

Impression Obsession dies – Small Poinsettia

Cheery Lynn Designs – Wreath Strip

Blue Fern Studios – Timeless – Maçonnerie (backside) for the greenery 

ColorBox Chalk Inks – Nightfall Petal Point Set

Dark Brown & Chestnut Roan

ColorBox Limited Edition Pigment Ink – Raisin

Tim Holtz – paper distresser

Martha Stewart - Glue Gun

Ranger – Stickles – Christmas Red

Ranger - Craft Nibs & Nib Holder

Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue

Michael’s - Christmas wood tags, gesso, fan brush, natural jute string, brown beads, foam tape 

Santa Snowflake cards:

Maja Design – Vintage Frost collection

 -      17^th of December (backside for main card)

 -      14^th of December (Santa punched circles & backside btm strip holiday sentiment)

 -      19^th of December (backside for square pc. on front of card)

Tim Holtz – paper distresser

Spellbinders - D-Lites Die - Medallion Seven

Paper Studios (Hobby Lobby) - 1.5" Circle Punch

ColorBox Limited Edition Pigment Ink – Raisin

Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue