2023 Christmas Cards

Our Blessed Mother Mary is what I had my mind set on 

to be the center for my Christmas cards this year.

Boy did I find the PERFECT centerpiece!

I discovered the most impeccably detailed mold

in a 5-star rated ETSY shop based in Poland.

WOW!

This artist is incredible with his details!

I knew the MINUTE I saw this mold,

that my 2023 Christmas cards would be based around it.

As I've grown closer to the Lord,

my focus has been so much more on Christmas being about

 giving of myself with love in my relationships with friends and family.

It truly isn't about gifts that are bought in the store.

CHRISTmas, of course, is about our Lord.

 "Jesus is the Reason for the Season".

This is the inside sentiment.

I also enclosed an explanation of the mold in each card.

Now for close up photos of the mold surrounded by flowers.

The details are incredible!

You can even see baby Jesus' ear between Mary's fingers!

And his precious little arm.

Unfortunately, it's hard to see the details in a photo.

Here's a few photos showing some steps in the creation process.

Since I chose to use open roses in white with pink centers,

I wanted to have the rosebuds to match.

Since none were available, I had to color white rosebuds 

using Lindy's Gang Starburst spray, Salt Water Taffy.

This is a very subtle pink, so it was perfect!

I colored just the tips using a paintbrush. 

Each card took 10 rosebuds, so I colored 300 of them. 

Here is what 100 of them looks like....

I grouped them together in bundles of 10 each 

since that's how many went on each card.

The bundles were set out to thoroughly dry.

Here are the steps for making the beautiful clay molds.

I create my Christmas cards in 'assembly line' fashion,

meaning that I perform one step on all 30 cards.

Then I move to the next step; and so on.

For my own amusement, 

I made a list of the actual number of items

& processes needed to make 30 cards.

It's quite astonishing when you put it down in B&W in front of you.

Front of card:

• (30 sheets) - 120 lb. Heavy Weight White Cardstock (for main card)
• each cut, scored & corner rounder punched
• (30 Die Cuts) - Navy Cardstock using Horizon Oval die
• (30 sheets) - Double Sided Adhesive Sheet (adhere navy oval to card)
• die cut using Pierced Oval die
• (30 Stencils) - Bethlehem Star stenciled in silver on navy oval die cut
• (30 Casts) - Mary & baby Jesus clay mold
• each examined under a magnifying glass to insure perfection with minimal flaws; "rejects" were discarded
• (120 Die Cuts) - 4 each of Leaves per card
• all leaf tips hand inked for accent
• (300 white rosebuds) - 10 per card
• each with tips painted in pink
• (240 Silver Stamens) - 8 per card
• folded in half and wired together with rosebuds
• (90 each) - 10mm open roses - white with pink centers - 3 per card
• (90 each) - 10 mm open roses - Aubergine (plum) - 3 per card
• (90 pinches) - Reindeer Moss (as filler around roses) - 3 per card

Inside the Card:

• (30 Die Cuts) - Navy Cardstock using Horizon Oval die
• (30 Die Cuts) - White Cardstock using Pierced Oval die
• Computer printed the sentiment; then die cut each
• (60 Sheets) - Double Sided Adhesive Sheet - 2 per card
• die cut using Pierced Oval die
• One needed between white & navy die cuts
• One needed between navy die cut and the card

Envelope:

• (30 Sheets) - 12" x 12" Heavy Duty Navy Cardstock
• Cut, scored and adhered to create the envelope
• (30 Die Cuts) - Small Oval Pierced die on white cardstock
• (30 Stencils) - Bethlehem Star in navy on each oval die cut
• (30 Pieces) - die cut Double Sided Adhesive using pierced oval
• for back of each stenciled star oval for the seal on the envelope flap

Thanks for viewing my 2023 Christmas cards. 

I worked on them throughout the year, 

enjoying every minute of the creation process!

Have a Wonderful, Blessed Christmas 

and a very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!

Lisa

Products used:

ETSY mold - the REASON for this card

Mother Mary & baby Jesus

Accent Opaque White 120lb Heavyweight Cardstock

(for main cards & envelope flap sticker)

Maja Design Monochromes - Shades of the Alps

"Arctic"
(for the envelopes)

Recollections Navy Blue Cardstock

(for oval die cuts)

Cheery Lynn Designs - Horizon Oval Dies

(for navy blue decorative die cuts -
 front & inside of cards)

Exact Index 110 lb Premium White Cardstock

(for oval die cuts containing
printed Christmas sentiments)

Cheery Lynn Designs - Pierced Oval Dies

(for printed sentiments & scor tape sheets)

Scrapbook.com - Pierced Oval Dies

(for envelope flap sticker)

Sculpey Air-Dry White Modeling Clay

NOTE: this clay is my favorite.  

It's previous name was Polyform Air Dry clay.

It truly picks up all details.

It doesn't crack or break, as it has some small pliable qualities.

You can view my "tests" of different clays HERE.

ETSY Stencil - Star of Bethlehem

TCW Stardust Butter

Platinum
(for front of card star stencil)

TCW Stencil Butter

Denim
(for envelope flap star stencil)

Wild Orchid Crafts Flowers

2-tone 10mm Open Roses
White with Baby Pink centers

10mm Open Roses
Aubergine/Plum

4mm White Rosebuds

Lindy's Gang Starburst Spray

"Salt Water Taffy"
(to color tips of white rosebuds)

Dress My Craft - Sugar Thread Pollen

Tattered Lace Dies

Ornate Leaves

ColorBox Pigment Ink

"Boysenberry"
(to color die cut leaf tips)

Zazzle Custom Signature Stamp

Tsukeniko VersaMagic Chalk Ink

"Night Sky"
(for stamping signature on back of cards)

Tools

Sizzix Big Shot Machine

Sizzix Magnetic Platform

Martha Stewart Scoring Board

Fiskars 12" SureCut Paper Trimmer

Recollections Corner Rounder Punch

Adhesives

Scor-Tape

Scor-Tape Sheets

Martha Stewart Hot Glue Gun

Nuvo Glue