Christmas card!

Good morning! I hope you're having a wonderful week! It's a GLORIOUS day here today - and only EIGHTY DAYS until Christmas! Goodness, this year has FLOWN by! It's DEFINITELY time to start your plans for Christmas, ladies and gentlemen. I don't know about you, but money seems even tighter this year - so plans for special HOMEMADE gifts are in the works. :)

Today, I have a Christmas card to share with you that I designed JUST for sharing with you. :D That means step-by-step, I can tell you how I did it. The bad news? It's a super-simple design. Good news? It's VERY rich-looking with little besides card stock and ink. :D

Here's the outside - scroll down for an inside look. :)

First, cut your card stock:
Cherry Cobbler - 5.5"x8.5"
Always Artichoke - 5-3/8"x4-1/8"
More Mustard - 5-1/4"x4" for the OUTSIDE, 5-3/8"x4-1/8" for the INSIDE

Then, put a Chocolate Chip cartridge in you standard wheel handle; it's best if you don't re-ink it before doing this card. If I do this one again, I'll be sure not to get such a good impression on the bottom of the page! :D Load in the Music Notes Stampin' Around wheel, and wheel the More Mustard piece.

Next, get out a sponge and sponge the edge of the MM card stock with Cherry Cobbler ink. You want the ink to go in toward the center a bit. After that, sponge JUST the edge with Crumb Cake ink. Rub your embossing buddy all over the MM card stock; this will help get rid of any static or oils from your fingers, so the embossing powder won't stick where you don't want it! Now, ink your stamp - from CHRIST IS BORN, as are the interior stamps - with Always Artichoke craft ink. (Have you noticed that there are EMPTY full-sized craft ink pads in the Holiday Mini? Stock up now, and fill them as you need them with your favorite colors!!) Stamp the image, and use clear embossing powder on the ink. Go heat it with your heat tool, until the embossing powder is set.

If you want, you can go ahead and assemble the outside of your card - MM on the AA, then on the CC. :D

Now, tick the corners of your inside MM card stock. Using MM ink, stamp off before you stamp the poinsettia stamp onto the card stock. Use the embossing buddy again; ink the message stamp, and emboss. Do the same sponging around the inside - but I did it a bit less. Now, adhere it inside the card.

YOU ARE DONE. Isn't it a beautiful card??

I think it's really a RICH color combination, and really simple to put together. What do YOU think? :)

OK, time to work on some more things. I hope you're having a WONDERFUL day! Enjoy yourself, and be sure to take some time to STAMP something!