Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas - January 2023 Edition

 

Hello everyone and welcome to the January 2023 edition of The Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas.  If this is not your first time here, thanks for stopping by again.  But, if this is your first time here, on the 25th of each month, the Crafty Elves - me (World of Michael Trent), Debra (Meticulosity), Lisa (Life of a BZScrapper), and Misty (The Jolly Fat Elf) - post ideas and creations to help spark or and inspire your Christmas and Holiday cardmaking.  

And this year, 2023, we are kicking it off in style with our first Guest Crafty Elf - Chris Franco (Stamped Blessings) - who is a good friend of Debra's and she's a Close To My Heart Consultant (CTMH) consultant.  When I lived in the states I loved CTMH stamps and I moved here with a boatload of sets.  I still miss getting the new CTMH catalog, brewing a cuppa Joe, and slowly going thru it, folding down the corner of pages that had stamps I wanted to buy.  And, for today's post, I decided to dust one of the Christmas sets off and use it. 

Links to ALL of our social media pages are at the end of this post, and, if YOU would like to be a Guest Crafty Elf/Sponsor for one month, just reach out to one of us - in a comment or a message - because we would love to have you join us.  

Now...let me show you how I made this card.  

I used the Close To My Heart (CTMH) set called Christmas Village Holiday (D1554).  It retired a LONG time ago but you might be able to find one out there.  Maybe you have something like this in your stash too.  So many many companies make images like this set and it was so much fun to make.   

Warning...there are a lot of photos in this post and I wrote it up as I made the card.  I am so happy the idea in my head worked out well.  LOL  

I knew I wanted to make a slimline card.

I wanted clouds behind the buildings.

And, maybe those buildings will be 3D?     

I began by cutting a piece of light blue cardstock, 3.25" x 8.25" and I placed the images from the set where I think I want them.  I felt the light blue would give a sort of wintery feel rather than a stark white background.  I wanted the house on the left side with the fence and some trees.  Then the buildings with, maybe, trees between them?

I had to stamp my scene out in sections by starting with the trees first so that when I adhere the buildings over them, the trees will seem to be behind them.   

I started by laying out the idea, below.  Then I stamped JUST the fence and one of the trees on the left side. 

Then I placed the house stamp down and stamped that over the fence and trees.  And then I stamped another tree and the firehouse on the right side.

I placed the remaining buildings down and decided I wanted a tree on the left side of the firehouse and a snowman between the buildings.  So, I removed the buildings and stamped just the tree and the snowman.

Then I placed the last two buildings - the Sweet Shop and the Florist - where I needed them and stamped them.  I also stamped the 4 buildings on a piece of white cardstock to be colored and fussy cut. 

Now..the cloud background.  

I just wanted a hint of clouds in the background.  So I grabbed one of the cloud-making stencils I have in my stash, Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, and a blender brush - and blended the clouds on the background.  I wasn't worried about stenciling over the stamped buildings since I will be covering them anyway.  

Next, I colored using Ultra Fine Tip BIC Intensity Markers.  The best for images like this.  

On the white cardstock, I colored and fussy cut all the buildings. I also stamped, colored, and fussy cut another snowman, which I adhered to the card front using a small piece of foam tape. 

On the blue cardstock, I colored the trees, the fence, the snowman, and the hydrant.  I also colored just the edges of the buildings so that you won't see blue under them.   

I also used a Brasilian product where the snowbanks are on the roofs, the trees, and the top of the fence. Then I sprinkled some Diamond Dust on top to give a snowy shimmer to the scene.  I am sure Nuvo probably has something like this for you to use.

Once it was all dry, I added some foam tape to the back of each of the buildings.

Then I stamped the sentiment in the upper left corner, which I forgot to do earlier.  

Using white cardstock, I made my card base - 3 5/8" x 8 5/8".  Then I die-cut a piece of red cardstock using the largest scalloped die from the Slim Stitched Rectangle Die Set by Pink Fresh Studio, which I adhered to the card front.   

I cut a piece of fun foam and adhered it to the back of the light blue cardstock piece, which I then adhered to the card front.

Then I removed the tape backing on the foam tape behind each building and adhered them to the card front.

Almost done...

I am on the fence here - should I add some "snow" along the bottom to kind of ground the images or should I just leave it alone and hope I don't mess things up?  Honestly, I should have done this a few steps back but...

OK...I added more of the "snow" along the bottom and set it aside to completely dry.  

Below are the final photos of the card and each side too.  

I LOVE how this card came and I really really hope you do too.  It's a lot of work but worth it for the right person in your life.  

Now, I hope you can find some time to go check out what Debra, Lisa, Misty, and Chris have made.  All of our social media links are below.

My IG Page

My FB Page

My YouTube Channel 

Debra's IG Page

Debra's Blog

Debra's FB Page

Lisa's IG Page

Lisa's Blog

Lisa's FB Page

Misty's YouTube Channel

Misty's IG Page

Misty's FB Page

Chris's IG Page
Chris's CTMH Website 

Chris's FB Page

I would love to know what you think of the card.  Please leave a comment and let me know.  And, until next time...

Hugs from Brasil.

~Michael

Woodblock Wednesday / Christmas Card / Using My Stash

 

Hello all and welcome to a new "Woodblock Wednesday" - the perfect day of the week to make a card using woodblock stamps that have not been used in some time - or at all.  

This week I am using two woodblock stamps I found the other day while "organizing".  A background stamp - Envelope Pattern (Hero Arts) and Holly Collage (Memory Box).  Both are long retired but, if you wish to recreate this card, I hope you have something in your own stash you can use.   My goal is to hopefully inspire you to make something from what I made.  

Let's get started...

I made an A2 card using a red cardstock in my stash.  I love it because it has a light watermark pattern on it.  Not that much will be seen.  I also wanted some shimmer so I grabbed my set of Starry Colors Gansai Tambi paints, my Mini Mister of H2O, small brush, and I splattered on some of the White Gold ink.  

I also adhered a piece of white cardstock to the inside (for my message) that I had die-cut using a stitched rectangle die. 

Next, I stamped the Envelope Pattern background stamp on a piece of white cardstock using Satin Red Versafine Ink and I stamped the Holly Collage stamp in black.  

I trimmed the Envelope Pattern image to 4.25" x 5.5".  Then, using a ruler, I measured 2.5" in from the upper left corner and made a mark.  Then I measured 2.5" down from the upper left corner and made a mark.  I drew a light and sliced that part off with a craft knife.  

Then I did the same to the lower right corner.  

I know, it looks wonky but keep reading.  It all works out in the end. 

Next, I distressed around the edges using the black ink and then I cut two 1/2" strips of silver mirror cardstock and adhered one to each of the longer sides of the Envelope Pattern piece.

Then I adhered this to the card front - corner to corner.  You might need to trim off some excess.  

I die-cut the Holly Collage image using a stitched rectangle die and I used the next size up to cut a piece of the same red cardstock.  

I colored the holly leaves using a brush marker and some water, adhered 3 red crystals for the berries, and adhered it to the card front.  

For the inside, I found the perfect sentiment in my stash...a stamp from Stampenous that says "happy holly days".  

The perfect way to finish this card.

Here's the finished card again.  I love how it came out and hope you guys do to!  Hey, would you like to receive this card?  Just leave a comment below and be the first to email me your address at michaeltrent - at - gmail - dot - com and I will get it off to you.  

Until next time...hugs from Brasil.

~Michael

Modern Hanukkah/Chanukah Card with Spellbinders and Technique Junkies

 

Hello everyone and Happy Sunday.  Today is my 2nd Hanukkah/Chanukah card using the Glass Effects (S4-451) die from Spellbinders.  Although it's retired, you can still find it online.  This past Thursday I posted THIS Hanukkah/Chanukah card on my blog and IG in which I used the die with the Team Tie-Dye paper from Honey Bee Stamps.  I only used the inside pieces of the die, not the outer border part.

But I will use it now, for today's card. 

I started by trimming the Glass Effects piece to 4" x 5.25", which I layered on a piece of white cardstock and I adhered a piece of fun foam behind this - to give a raised effect - but you can also use foam tape.  Then I die-cut a piece of white cardstock using a stitched rectangle die for the inside of the card.  And I made a top-folding A2 card using navy cardstock.

I adhered the white cardstock to the inside of the card.  Then I adhered the Glass Effect piece to the card front. 

OK, now the fun part.  Well, for me!  

I stamped the Menorahs Background (Technique Junkies) on a piece of light blue cardstock and then I adhered double-sided tape to the entire back.  I was on the fence, stamp in blue or black?  But blue would make the whole card seem blue.  And I felt the white would be too much of a contrast against all the blue so I went with black on blue.  

Next, I die-cut the image using the Glass Effects die, and then...I patiently adhered each of the pieces to my card front.  

 

Lastly, I die-cut the Happy Hanukkah Die from Paper Trey Ink - 3 times, glued them together, and adhered it to the card front. 

Done!  I decided against using any crystals because I really love that tie-dye border.  I'd love to know what you think.  Below are both cards.  

Which do you like better or are they both awesome?  LOL Let me know by leaving a comment below.  And, if you would like to receive today's card, leave a comment and email me your address to michaeltrent@gmail.com.  The first to do that will get the card later in the year.  

Until next time...hugs from Brasil.

~Michael

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 29

 

Hey everyone.  One of the things I want to really focus on this year is to make more holiday cards and to participate in some card sketch challenges.  I have major issues with "card sketches" and there is no better way to get over that fear other than to take part in them.  So, to kick off the New Year, I am playing along with the {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 29, which has been extended thru January 31, 2023.  

Here is the sketch - 

And, if you want to play along, you can check out all the info over on the {BYSH) Cardmakers Blog (that's Build Your Own Stash).  Just remember, entries must be added to the challenge album in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook Group to be eligible for a prize.  The winner will be chosen randomly from the entries and will be announced in the Facebook group.  

For my card, I used the Leaves & Berries stamp from Technique Junkies, which I also used on THIS card the other day.  I had stamped and colored a few of the images, and they were right there in front of me, I just grabbed one.  I love this image because it can be used for any reason, not just Christmas. 

I trimmed the colored image to 3.75" x 5" and cut it into 4 pieces by cutting from corner to corner.  I did the same to a piece of black fun foam.  And then I adhered the fun foam to the back of each piece.  

Next, I cut a piece of red shimmer paper to 4" x 5.25" using a stitched rectangle die and I adhered the 4 pieces to it leaving a small border between each piece.  I also made a top-folding A2 card base using white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of Christmas paper.  The paper is from my stash - Ode to Joy from the Christmas Past Collection/Graphic 45 (circa 2009).  

Then I adhered the image piece to the card base. 

For the center of the card, I stamped one of the sentiments from the Gifts of Christmas set (Technique Junkies) on a piece of white cardstock.  I die-cut it using a circle die.  Then I die-cut a piece of red cardstock using another circle die.  I layered the white on the red, and then on the card front.  

And, lastly, I used a Red Pearl Pen from my stash on each of the berries.  

Done!  I'd love to know what you think of the card.  And I hope you can play along.  Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.  

Until next time.  Hugs from Brasil.

~Michael