Crafty Elves Countdown to Christmas - September 2020 Edition

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the August 2020 Edition of The Crafty Elves Countdown to Christmas.  Can you believe that Christmas is in 91 days!!  Crazy!  All I want for Christmas is a COVID-19 vaccine and world peace.  What do you want for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa?  

Debra and Lisa, the other Crafty Elves, have also been busy making their September 2020 Christmas cards for you and I hope you will find some time to show them some love also!  Links directly to their September cards are at the end of this post. 

Now, on to my cards - 

Card Idea No. 1

I made this slimline card using Christmas Circles from Anthony's Paper Craft.  When I first saw the circle images in this set, I thought of the words HO, HO, HO and had to figure out a way to use this idea in a card, which I did!  

• I made a  3.5" x 8.5" top-folding slimline card made with white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of red cardstock.
• Next, I printed one of the papers from the Christmas Market Digital Mega Kit by Carta Bella on to a piece of white cardstock, cut it down to 2 7/8" x 7 7/8", which I adhered to a piece of black cardstock, 3" x 8", which I then adhered to the card front.   
• Next, I stamped 3 of the circle images (the snowman, Santa, and the tree) on to white cardstock, colored them with BIC Intensity Markers, fussy cut them, and adhered them to the card front.
• Next, using the die of the letter "H" from the Outline Letters Alphabet Set from Creek Bank Creations, I cut 2 of the letter using red fun foam and 1 letter using red cardstock - for each of the images.  You will have 6 of fun foam and 3 of red cardstock.
• Adhered two of the fun foam letter H together and then adhered a red cardstock letter H to the top.  Then adhere next to each image.  
• I stamped the 3 images again on to white cardstock, colored in each image again, fussy cut them and adhered to the first image using fun tape or pop dots.
• Lastly, I applied Glossy Accents to the top of each letter "H" and allowed them to dry.  I also adhered a few red crystals I had in my stash.

Card Idea No. 2

This image popped up in my Pinterest feed and when I clicked on THIS link, it was for free digital coloring pages.  I am hoping it was a real /legal site and I ended up saving this image of Woodstock on top of the lamppost.  I knew this would be a fun and fast Christmas card.  

• I started with a 4" x 9" top-folding slimline card made with white cardstock.  
• Then I adhered a sheet of decorative paper.  The paper is a from the Christmas Past Collection by Graphic 45.  
• I printed my image on white cardstock and colored it with some BIC Intensity Markers.
• I mounted this on a piece of red cardstock, which I then adhered to the card front.
• Lastly, I applied Glossy Accents to the lamppost glass and, when dry, I applied Frosted Lace Stickles for the snow.

Card Idea No. 3

This was one of my favorite cards to make this month.  It's been in my head for weeks and it felt great to finally get it out!  This whole card uses stamps and dies from Your Next Stamp.  

• I made a  4" x 9" top-folding slimline card made with white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of red cardstock.
• Next, I cut a piece of white cardstock, 3.75" x 8.75" and used a cloud stencil with Faded Jeans Distress ink to make the cloud background.  
• I stamped the images from the Santa Express and Santa Express Train Carts sets,  and then I die cut them using the matching Santa Express Die Set and Santa Express Train Carts Die Set.  
• I colored in all the images using BIC Intensity Markers.  
• I cut the All Aboard Train Track Die several times and adhered them across the bottom of the card front.
• I stamped the sentiments using black ink and then I adhered the train engine and carts using pop dots across the card front on the train tracks.
• Lastly, I adhered Frosted Lace Stickles in some areas, Glossy Accents on the ornaments to make them look like glass, and crystals on the tree and in the center of each of the peppermint wheels.

Card Idea No. 4

Not everyone has stamps and dies laying around. Or, maybe you are a papercrafter or scrapbooker and have more papers than stamps or dies.  Then this idea is perfect for you and for anyone who wants to make some cards quickly and without breaking the bank.  

The 4 cards below were all made using papers from the Christmas Memories line by Photo Play Paper.  

• I started by making 4 top-folding A2 card bases of white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of decorative paper to the front of each one.    
• One of the sheets, Joyful Season (CMR9485), has 1 side with journaling cards that measure 3" x 4".   I carefully trimmed 4 of the sayings I wanted to use on my card front and layered each of them on a piece of red or gold cardstock that measures 3.25" x 4.25".
• Then I adhered these to the front of each of the cards.  

Honestly, it does not get any easier than this!  Below are the 4 cards.  

Done!!

I'd love to know which card(s) is/are your favorite and I really hope these cards have inspired you to dig into your stamp stash and to find the time to make some holiday cards yourself.

Please remember to check out what the other Crafty Elves have up their sleeves this month - 

Debra (Meticulosity)

Lisa (Life of a BZ Scrapper)

As always, thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!  If you like what you see on my blog, you can also follow me on my Instagram page, which has photos of life here in Brasil, as well as food and adorable pet photos.  Just click HERE!

Until next time, hugs from Brasil - 

~Michael