Red Door & White Wreath Christmas Card

Why is it that a Red Front Door is festive, whereas any other colour is just plain wrong?  I understand why post boxes are red, and obviously a robin needs a red breast, and even Rudolph a red nose.  However, I have no idea why a Christmassy door just has to be red, but it does!  Anyhow, I hope you like my festive Red Door and White Wreath Christmas Card.

Card Recipe:
Paper and Card: Centura Pearl White card, Red Linen textured
Tools: Tonic Studios Floral Crafters Tool Kit, Verso Tiara Corner, Domed Window, Window Box, Christmas Cracker and Branches Dies, Grand Calibur 
Embellishments: double satin ribbon, pearl strands, rhinestone crystals, crystal button, handmade hatpins

First of all, I wanted to give you a nice close-up of the new Tonic Studios Verso Tiara Corner Dies. These dies have a separate outer cutting edge, meaning you can choose whether to cut out the entire corner as a die cut, or create a laser-cut finish into the cardstock (which is what I've done).  Hope you can pick up the lovely embossed detail too.

Now, I think it's important to be able to use your dies in lots of different ways, without your cards looking the same.  Dies are an investment so it's important to get lots of use from them.  This festive Christmas card was created from a variety of dies but only the sentiment was actually a Christmas die!

I made my Christmas Wreath by using die cuts from my Window Box and Branch Dies. As I wanted quite a compact wreath, I cut some of the sprigs in half.  I used eight of each design and shaped the sprigs with my new Floral Crafters Tool Kit to create dimension and depth.










It's been a while, but my beloved hatpins have made a return, along with a bling-tastic rhinestone button.  I've combined this with a cheery red ribbon and ribbon bow.  Speaking of ribbon, that's the theme for this fortnight's challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie, or you could use Lace or even combine Ribbon and Lace!  Ribbons and lace are staple items in my craft stash, so I never have a problem finding an item to use over 6 months old when the theme is this fortnight's challenge.  If you have lots of stash to use up, why not pop over to the challenge and join in the fun.
Here's one final look at my card, can you guess that I used my domed window die to create the door?  I will be posting a tutorial on how to do this in the near future.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Crafty Calender - All Things Christmas
Paper Crafting Journey - Bling it Up

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House Mouse Sweet Lilacs

Now that it's turning a bit chillier, I thought I'd share a card that reminds me that Spring will be with us at before too long!

Card Recipe:
Tools: Tonic Studios Indulgence Boudior Square Base Die, Square Layering Dies, Scallop Square Layering Dies, Every Day Sentiments 1 Dies, Grand Calibur
Digi Stamp: House Mouse Triple CD - Joanna Sheen
Paper and Card: Stardream Card
Embellishments: Flatback pearls and crystals, handmade hat pins

For the House Mouse digi stamp, I cropped the image to the size of my die before printing it.  This means that although the origianal image was oblong, I was able to create a square focal, with a plain edge all the way around it.
My background uses one of my favourite techniques using the lattice Boudoir Base die in lilac stardream card stock along a contrasting frame from oyster stardream card.  

Finally, I had to add a couple of handmade hatpins, don't forget to check out my two tutorials on Creating Hatpins and the aptly named follow-up, More Decorative Hatpins for a simple guide to creating your own embellishments. Pin It Now!

Clean & Simple Fairy Silhouette Card

I think the title says it all for this card!

Card Recipe:
Paper and Card: Oyster Wove, First Edition
Tools: Tonic Studios Die Sets - Fae Hideaway Indulgence Semi Dies,  Grand Calibur
Embellishment: Flatback Pearls

I simply trimmed an A4 piece of card to 14.8cm wide then scored it in half.  I opened it back up again and cut the Fae Hideaway Indulgence Semi Die using both of the semi inside dies but only one of the outer dies. Once embossed, I then adding a pretty First Edition backing paper to the inside of the card and added a sprinkling of flatback pearls and a butterfly die cut from an off-cut of patterned paper.

Despite the intricate swirls of this die, I actually think it really lends itself to clean and simple cards, (you can see another example here), what do you think? Pin It Now!