A Quick and Easy Christmas Card

This time of year is super crazy at my house.  No matter how often I say that we are going to have a relaxed and enjoyable holiday, it seems like everything goes nuts starting the day after Thanksgiving.  And this year is no exception.  So last week passed in a blur of holiday craziness with work and school squeezed in. 

But over the last couple years, I've learned that a few quiet minutes in my scrap room each day go a long way to maintaining my sanity.  So this weekend I was determined to get back on track.  My craft room is a disaster right now which makes me crazy, but I squeezed in some crafty time - the organizing is going to have to wait.

I woke up Sunday with an idea for a card inspired by paper from Studio Calico's card kit last month.  I knew it would come together quickly, so it was perfect project for this time of year. 

I started with a plain white card base - I know they are easy to make, but I buy them just because it makes things so quick and easy.  I trimmed the great tree paper from the Walden card kit so that it was slightly smaller than the card.  Then I added a piece of vellum over the patterned paper. 

I knew I wanted to create a simple cluster in the bottom corner of the card.  I pulled out the stamp from this month's embellishment kit - Waldorf.  It had a small pine branch that was just what I had in mind.  I stamped the image a couple of times with Studio Calico Color Theory Yes Peas Ink and made sure the images overlapped slightly.

For the sentiment I used the stamp from the Garland Road project life add-on (November 2014) from Studio Calico and Gold Galax Brilliance Ink.  I placed the image just to the side and below the branches.  I pulled out one of those "vintage" wood veneer "tweets" from Studio Calico to link my sentiment and pine branches.  I colored it a soft red with a pale tomato Hero Arts ink dauber.    It just took a few tiny gold star sequins to finish it off.

I love when a project is inspired by a paper or embellishment.  They always seem to come together so quickly.  Link me up with your last project inspired by a supply in the comments.  I will pick one link at random for a $5 Studio Calico gift card.  I will choose a winner on December 21 - that way you will have the gift card in plenty of time for the January kit reveal.

I still have to pick the winner of my holiday giveaway - hopefully in the next few days. It totally got away from me last week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Repetitive Stamping

I want to use my stamps and my ink pads.  I have all the Studio Calico Color Theory stamp pads and the colors are gorgeous.  And I get stamps in my kits each month, so my stamp collection is a little out of control.  But I have to admit that using my stamps is not my first instinct.  So I almost never buy a stamp set outside the kits.  I just don't use them enough.

But a few months back, I couldn't resist this stamp set offered at Studio Calico as an add-on to the card kit.  It is called the Circles set by Splendid Finn,


I couldn't tell you exactly why, but I fell in love.  And it turns out that so far the solid circle is my favorite stamp in the set.  I am a little addicted to using it for repetitive stamping, mixing colors to create custom backgrounds.  Earlier this week I needed a quick retirement card for a friend at work.  I pulled out inks in color theory, blush crush, flamingo, lavender soda and purple rain - and that circle stamp.  I randomly stamped circles in different colors to fill in a piece of white cardstock.

After that it was easy.  I used a Pebbles tag that said celebrate and edged it with gold brilliance ink.  I added gold glitter embossing powder to a wood veneer "m" to create a monogram to make the card more personal and finished with a strip of gold glitter washi from My Minds Eye.  And then just for a little sparkle, I added lots of tiny pink star sequins.  Mitali deserved a lot of sparkle.

I used the same technique to create a quick and easy Christmas card.  This time I used inks in the green and aqua color range - emerald city, lime light, yes peas, mint hint, and glass slipper.

I added a red holiday banner sticker and a gold star from my stash (both from old Studio Calico collections) and I was done.  If I had more of  those banner stickers, I might just mash produce this card.

If you try this, don't forget to stamp multiple times with your stamp before you re-ink.  This creates lots of variety in the colors you het for your circles (or whatever image you stamp.)

Thanks for stopping by.