CHRISTMAS CARD 2011

I try to send a few Christmas cards every year, not always successful, but I have the best intentions.  So, this year I decided I would try making them and that way I would be sure to get them mailed out. You know putting in all the effort, I'm not going to leave them sitting around.  I asked my Mom if she wanted a few and of course she does.  So, here are our Christmas cards for this year.

I started with some blank cards and envelopes I have had for a while.  I found the design on a blog I found on Pinterest and made some changes to fit us. I then cut all the papers and prepared the pieces for the 10 cards.



I made one card and then made changes to get it to what we wanted.  I then prepared all the pieces before assembling the rest of them.  It made for a quicker assembly. I started by cutting the cardstock and scrapbook paper I was using to the proper sizes I wanted. 

I couldn't find a poinsetta flower that I liked to put on the candle, so I punched out some flowers from a flower punch I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I then rubbed some yellow chalk on the center of one of the flower with a cotton swab. (Sorry it is hard to see the yellow center.)  I put a red brad through the center of two flowers so that I could attach them to the card.

I made enough flowers to attach 2 on each card.

I took a piece of vellum that I had cut to the deisred size and cut a notch in it to look like a banner/flag, then stamped Merry Christmas on it.  I used brush markers on all of my stamps so they would stamp cleaner.

I then stamped each of the pieces of cardstock for the inside pieces.

I then made the candle that goes on the front.  After cutting the card to the proper size, I then used my corner punch to round the corners to make it look like the top of a candle. I got an idea from the blog I got the card design from for the candle.  They took some glue dots and stretched them down the card to make it look like candle wax that had melted down the candle.  It didn't work for me, so I had used my adhesive tape and then sprinkled the sugar glitter on top of it. I think it worked great.

I then put everything together starting with the front of the card.  I finished off the candle by using a black gel pin to make the wick.  I then rub 3 different colors of chalk around the wick to make it look like the candle was lit and glowing.





 I then attached the vellum banner and then the flowers I made earlier.  I then attached the two pieces I stamped for the inside of the card. 

Oh, and of course I stamped the back of the card with a "designed by" stamp and signed it.  Hope this card encourages you to create your own card.  It really is a lot of fun.  I love to see the finished product and the joy it brings those I send it to.