The Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas - August 2021 Edition

 

Hello everyone and welcome to the August 2021 edition of The Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas.  The Crafty Elves - Debra of Meticulosity, Lisa of Life of a BZScrapper, and myself are being joined by another Guest Elf - a real Elf - Misty, The Jolly Fat Elf herself!  

I hope you like the card ideas I came up with this month.  Links to the other Crafty Elves' projects and social media links are at the end of this post.

Now, on to my cards!

Card No. 1

I have to admit that I kinda cheated on this card but I think it's a super easy idea and this card is very fast to make using this idea.  Hero Arts makes some very affordable small clear sets for about $8 which are packaged in a way that you don't always need to remove any of the stamps to make a card.  I used Sparkle Clear World Christmas (CL253)/retired and, if you look at the link, you can see that you can use this as it is packaged.   

• I started by removing the stamp set from the package and adhering it to my Misti using some painter's tape.  I took the tree stamp out, stamped the image on white cardstock using Onyx Black Versafine ink, then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  

• Using a clear block, I then stamped the tree with a green ink pad.

• I made a top-folding A2 card base of white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of decorative Christmas paper.
• Then I die cut the image with a stitched rectangle die, layered it on a piece of red cardstock cut with the next size stitched rectangle die.      
• I adhered a piece of fun foam behind the red cardstock which I then adhered to the card front.  
• The last thing I did was to adhere some small clear crystals to the tree on the card front.   

Card No. 2

I used the Magic of Christmas set from Polka Dot Orchard together with some slimline dies from Pink Fresh Studio for this card.  I wanted to have Santa's belt across a slimline card.  Normally his belt is black and that would not work.  So I printed the belt on a dark gray and hoped for the best.

• Using Pages on my Mac, I imported Santa's belt and the sentiment "Just Believe" onto a 3" x 8" card front.  
• Then I printed them out - three times - on white cardstock, gray cardstock, and then on a piece of gold cardstock.  Because the gold has a sheen I was able to emboss it with a black embossing powder.

• I extended the lines of the best using a black marker and then I fussy cut it out.  I also fussy cut the belt buckle, including the inside.  

• I adhered the buckle to the belt and then the whole thing to the white cardstock above the "Just Believe" sentiment.
• Then I made my card base from white cardstock - 3 5/8" x 8 5/8".  
• Using the Slim Stitched Rectangle Die Set from Pink Fresh Studio, I cut a piece of decorative paper with the largest stitched die, which I then adhered to the card front, and then a piece of red cardstock using the largest straight edge die, which I adhered to the decorative paper.  
• Lastly, I adhered the white cardstock to the red.

Card No. 3

I made this card using an older stamp from DRS Designs.  Although it's retired, you might own it or something like it.  I love any images with Christmas bulbs because when you add Glossy Accents or Diamond Glaze, the bulbs look like glass.

• I started by stamping the image with Onyx Black Versafine ink and then embossing it with clear embossing powder.  I also stamped it a 2nd time but only for the center part with the sentiment.  Then I trimmed the images.

• Then I colored in the images using some CIS/GRAF alcohol markers (a Brasilian brand) and a Rambunctious Red BIC Intensity Ultra Fine Tip Marker for the sentiment.

• Next, I used Glossy Accents on all the bulbs and the whole sentiment.  Then I put it to the side to dry completely.  This will take several hours. 

• Once fully dry, I layered it on a piece of red cardstock, then decorative cardstock.  Then I adhered the sentiment using foam dots to give a 3D effect.

Card No. 4

While browsing Etsy one day I came upon a store called Line Art Lover selling some really cool digi images that are perfect if you love to color and beyond cheap!  One of the images I bought was this Christmas Tree and Gift Boxes image, that I used for this card.

• I started by importing the Christmas Tree image into Pages and printed it out on white cardstock.  Then I die cut the image using a stitched rectangle die.
• Then I took my time and colored the image using a few BIC Intensity Ultra Fine Tip markers.  The fine tip on these markers is perfect for images like this.  

• I also added some Silver Stickles (Ranger) to the garland.
• I made a top-folding A2 card of white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of red cardstock and then the colored Christmas Tree image. 

And there they are!  4 new Christmas cards for my stash this year.  Do you have a favorite?

Please remember to visit the other Crafty Elves as well as our Guest Crafty Elf. Each of them has even more amazing card ideas for the holiday season and it's never too early to start making some.  Just click on their links to go right to their May 2021 creations! 

Debra's Blog Post - Meticulosity

Debra's IG Page - djdavison814

Lisa's Blog Post - Life of a BZscrapper

Lisa's IG Page - bzscrapper

My IG Page - worldofmichaeltrent

My YouTube Page - World of Michael Trent

Misty's YouTube Post/Channel - The Jolly Fat Elf
Misty's IG Page - The Jolly Fat Elf

Misty's FB Page - The Jolly Fat Elf

Until next time...hugs from Brasil!

~Michael