Christmas with Sweet Stockings and Penguin Place
Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Team 2021 Heart of Christmas Blog Hop.
So glad you are joining us for this Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I love creating for Christmas, however, the week seemed to disappear given various commitments and time was limited for creating plus I was experiencing some health difficulties. As such, I used bits and pieces previously prepared and laying around my crafting space and CASEd layouts as my inspiration was waining.
CHRISTMAS CARD 1:
While staying overnight with a friend, Kathryn Mangelsdorf, who was holidaying at Middleton, I took the Sweet Stockings DSP with me and a pair of snips and relaxed with some fussy cutting in the evening. A range of cats, dogs, mouse & bird had been fussy cut - so were ready and waiting. I also had the Basic White slimline card base sitting on my desk.
I thank Emma Goddard, a UK Demonstrator, for inspiration for this card. I attended one of Emma's fabulous classes by Zoom over the weekend where the Penguins Place bundle was the focus. It was a fun time with great projects.
With a spare slimline card base and a number of fussy cut critters, I CASEd one of Emma's project layouts to create this card, using a range of different products.
The background had some blending with Pool Party Classic Stampin' ink and a Blending Brush; then some little stars from the Sweet Little Stockings stamp set were stamped in Pool Party ink. The fussy cut critters were arranged and were either adhered with Multipurpose Liquid Glue or popped up on Dimensionals. I certainly had fun arranging the animals, trying to align expressions with placement, ie a cat checking out the mouse with the present and another cat eyeing off the fishbowl. I know, I have a pixie-ish sense of humour sometimes.
A sentiment from the same stamp set was stamped in Cherry Cobbler Classic ink onto Basic White card-stock and then fussy cut with my trusty Snips. The sentiment was layered on Dimensionals and a fussy cut bird added on a Dimensional as well.
The Basic White card front was adhered directly to a Thick Basic White slimline card-stock base with liquid glue. A few of the Matte Decorative Dots were added near the sentiment and some Wink of Stella flicked over (although this isn't picked up by the camera).
The card inner was created with some of the stars stamped in Pool Party ink on the Basic White card inner. "Sending lots of love" also from the Sweet Little Stockings stamp set was stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink and a strip of DSP that was also used to create an envelope, was added at the bottom of the card inner. The DSP used for the custom made envelope came from the Sweet Stockings DSP. A pre-cut label (cut using the Stitched So Sweetly dies) was adhered to the fronton the envelope for writing the address.
My second card is a slightly stepped up version of a card that was made in one of my classes about 6 weeks ago. I had a few kits left over from the class and as the sample card was misplaced at the class, I used one of the kits to create this card.
The card front was embossed with the Evergreen Forrest 3D Embossing Folder and some Just Jade from the Dark Just Jade Stampin' Blend was splattered over the trees. The largest circle from the Layering Circle dies cut a "sky" circle of DSP from the Beauty of the Earth DSP. This was popped up on Dimensionals.
I had a little stamped penguin sitting on my desk that had been stamped using the Penguins Place bundle with Momento ink, Mango Melody and Highland Heather Classic ink. The sunglasses were created with Basic Black card-stock and the Penguin punch. The Penguin was popped up on a Wobbler so that when he is touched he will wobble. It makes me smile.
Balloons were stamped in Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green and Highland Heather, with the strings stamped in Momento. They were fussy cut and then adhered with liquid glue except the Highland Heather balloon that was popped up on a Dimensional. I realised as I was taking the photos that I had adhered the clouds upside down - that's me at the moment, a bit upside down! I also realised that the clouds had been cut using the Sheep dies, that are now a retired Sale-a-bration product - oops.
To finish off the card, a sentiment from the Penguin Place stamp set had been stamped in Misty Moonlight ink, fussy cut and was added with Dimensionals. Some gorgeous Subtle Shimmer Sequins were added and a little Wink of Stella was flicked over the card.
I ran out of time to add a card inner (a job for the next few days as I don't like to leave naked inners), but a couple of stamped balloons were added to a C6 Basic White envelope.
Thank you so much for spending time with me on my blog. I'm so glad you dropped in.
If you are in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of Stampin' Up's 2021-2022 Annual Catalogue and or the July - December Mini Catalogue then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you. Also, please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about this project or Stampin' Up!.
To continue with the blog hop, click on the "onto the next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the delightful Ros Davidson. I always look forward to checking out Ros's creations plus everyone else's.
Hope to see you next week for another AWHT Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I heard we only have 12 weeks to Christmas - it will be here before we know it. I hope you have started creating. There is so much Christmas inspiration to share using Stampin' Up!'s products. Even though I have been Christmas card making since July I think i need to step it up so I can send cards overseas and have sufficient for my Aussie friends.
Also, don't forget the weekly Colour Creations Blog Hop by the Art with Heart Team that launches every Wednesday at 8.00pm AEST.
Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.
Andrea XXX
As mentioned, it is always a delight to see everyone's creations and the way they each use the amazing Stampin' Up! products. I am sure there will be gorgeous Christmas projects on show. Don't miss checking out each blog.
If at any time you find a broken link and the next blog doesn’t come up or you started part way through, please head to the blog of this week’s host for the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop, Tina Gillespie, and she will have the list of all Art With Heart Team members who are participating in this blog hop. Check out her beautiful creation while you are there.
#heartofchristmas #heartofchristmas2021 #awhtheartofchristmas
I did have a chuckle at you adhering the clouds upside down, on your penguin card, Andrea ... I think we've all "been there, done that"! That's when we invoke creative licence!
ReplyDeleteI especially love your first card. Such a sweet, festive, scene, with all those pets congregating. You've placed them all perfectly, and the end result is a gorgeous card!
LOL! You've created two really fun cards, Andrea! They are both so wonderful, but I especially love your humour in the first card with the positioning of the critters.
ReplyDeleteGiggles at your upside clouds, just means it certainly isn't a Hallmark card right! I am loving your first card, a fabulous scene of fussy cut animals.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute bunch of Christmas critters! Your first card is definitely my favourite, but that penguin is so sweet too.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous and absolutely the most cute, fun cards Andrea. Gosh, I really love your first card - the placement of each animal with their sweet and funny expressions is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteLove love love your cards Andrea particularly the first. It’s great to see all the creatures on one card and placed so humorously from the cat eyeing the mouse to the sweet little bird sending greetings. I love the Pool Party background on your Penguin card.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun Christmas cards, Andrea!!! They will both put big smiles on the faces of the recipients this year, love them both.
ReplyDeleteBoth these cards are adorable andrea, but I just can't stop looking at the first one. I love your menagerie of animals, what a fantastic card!
ReplyDeleteYour little wobbler penguin is so cute, but wow, the way you have fussy cut and arranged the cats and dogs on your slimline card is amazing! Lol re the clouds - I'm adhering or stamping stuff upside down on a regular basis. It's usually the script writing papers or stamps, lol.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky were you to be able to have a weekend away with Kathryn. I just love your cute penguin card
ReplyDeleteTwo fabulous cards, Andrea. I especially like the slimline card with all the pets. Super fussy cutting and placement on your blended background.
ReplyDelete