Three More Cards for Christmas in July

Hello friends!  It's good of you to stop by again.

I was determined to devote a good lot of my July card making time to Christmas.  I can't say I made as much progress as I'd hoped, but with these cards I've managed seven for Christmas in July.  It's better than zero.

I focused on not yet used Cottage Cutz again.  These are somewhat simple cards, certainly as compared to my usual.  Nevertheless, they were fun to make and I think rather pretty.  First a window with overhead branches and a little birdie perched on the sill.

I stippled the pine branch corners with white acrylic paint, and applied Stickles glitter to the sill and window pane corners.  Behind the widow is vellum colored on the backside with Copic markers.

The next two cards feature ornaments cut from glitter cardstock.  In the background is one of my new favorite embossing folders from a Spellbinders warehouse sale -- Pinecones & Berries.  The sentiment is an oldie from Stampin' Up.

All the cards are mini-slimline, 3 1/2" x 6".  I like this size as it fits in a standard envelope with no extra postage.

I think that wraps it up for Christmas in July... or not.  We'll see what happens next week.  Believe it or not, I will be back with one more card tomorrow.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Retired Stampin' Up  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, coppery gold for ornaments, vellum, green scraps for pine bough corners  Ink:  SU Garden Green for sentiments  Coloring:  Copics on vellum for window  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Classic Arched Window, Partridge, Angel 1, Poppystamps Whittle Birds, Wispy Pine Needle Corner, Spellbinders Classic Long Rectangles  Other:  Spellbinders Pinecones & Berries embossing folder, white acrylic paint, Diamond Stickles

Rustic Wreath

Back to Christmas in July today!  I found the prettiest wreath at The Scrapping Cottage during their most recent sale.  It's called Rustic Wreath, no longer on sale, but there are always amazing finds in their retired and overstock categories.

I made this for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 where Jo and her elf friend, Gail, are asking for spots, dots, and circles.  I have a rustic circle (wreath) on a stitched circle, and that's on top of a background made with the Sizzix Tree Rings embossing folder.  To finish, I added dots in the form of red gems.

💖Happy 100th challenge, Jo!  That's a milestone worth celebrating! 💖

I cut everything twice so I could fluff up the wreath all nice and festive.  Love the little pinecones and I plan to make up a bunch of those for other projects.  Every piece was colored with inks and blending brushes.   The sentiment is also Cottage Cutz.

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 -- Merry-go-round.  Must use spots, dots, and/or circles.
NBUS Challenge #76 -- My never before used schtuff is the Cottage Cutz Rustic Wreath.

 

Thanks for your visit!  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Inside sentiment only  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, scrap Memory Box Christmas Plaid designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' up inks  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Rustic Wreath and Happy Holidays, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers  Other:  Tim Holtz Sizzix Tree Rings embossing folder, red gems, Diamond Stickles

Christmas in July 2025

Hi there!  If you'll bear with me...  I was busy playing with something else entirely when along came July and I realized I have only seven cards made for this year.  Actually, it's more than I thought I had, but I need a lot more!

So here are three today, all Cottage Cutz Santas from my never-been-used stash.  For the most part I'll let the pictures tell their own stories.  I've used a lot of retired supplies, old goodies that still provide a lot of fun.

First we have Santa hanging on a tree branch.  A sleigh accident perhaps? 

Cottage Cutz Santa w/Branch and Happy Ho Ho Ho
Spellbinders Pinecones and Berries 3D embossing folder

Keeping it simple, trying not to overthink it.  A frame and an embossed panel can take a card design a long way.

Cottage Cutz Jolly Santa Claus
Darice Star Border embossing folder

The last card has a simple silhouette Santa with a landscape frame and designer paper.  The few die cut snowflakes were brushed with Stampin' Up Buckaroo Blue ink.  It might be the first time I've used that pad and it's several years old.  The designer paper is a Simple Stories freebie that came with one of my Scrapbook.com orders.

 

Cottage Cutz Santa's Naughty/Nice List
Memory Box Lamplight Tree Collage and Holiday Wishes sentiment w/die
Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set

I always have such fun with my Cottage Cutz dies, and I'm sure that's amplified by their low, low sale prices.  They haven't had a new release in a LONG time and I cannot find any information regarding that.

I'll be sharing in two challenges:

Peace on Earth #91 -- Anything goes or be inspired by the fabulous mood board.
NBUS #76 -- Darnell encourages us to use our 'never been used schtuff'.  Each of my Cottage Cutz Santas are fresh out of the package.

 

Thank you for coming to visit!  Have a happy day!

Folk Art Easter Bunny

Hello!  I know you're all busy with Easter weekend and, if so, maybe you'll stop by later.  It's quiet here.  No little ones or Easter visitors, and that's just fine.  Monday the landscaper is scheduled to start and we have company coming on Tuesday.  It will be a busy week!

I have one more Easter card to share.  I enjoyed making it with my Cottage Cutz Folk Art Rabbit (first time use), and a few additional pretty elements from my stash.

Cottage Cutz Happy Easter Phrase, Poppystamps Floral Dotted Border, partial cut IO Grass Border

I clear-embossed the sentiment and added Diamond Stickles over it, as well as on the yellow flower centers.  Sorry the sparkle doesn't show.  A leftover strip from Spellbinders Criss Cross Motif 3D embossing folder adds a textural border.

More designer paper from The Vast Hoard -- yay!  I have a weakness for woodgrain, whether in cardstock, embossing folders, or designer paper.  This pretty piece comes from a 6x6 pad of Polkadoodles Peeling Paint papers that's been in The Hoard for a few years.  It was just right for an Easter card.

Challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers
NBUS Challenge #73 -- My Folk Art Rabbit is never before used.

 

Have a happy Easter weekend!

Happy St. Patrick's Day... with a Christmas Card

I know... I'm pretty far off the mark posting a Christmas card on St. Patrick's Day.  I've been a little busy, but I was determined to play in Jo's Christmas Kickstart Challenge where she's asking for colors that are "Not the Norm".

Wanting to use up some older designer paper, I pulled out the least "normal" pack I have.  It's full of non-traditional colors in fun prints, and this particular piece in yellow is top of the non-traditional charts.  Keeping with the theme, I cut the die in pink and embellished with multi-colored snowflakes.

There's Diamond Stickles glitter on the snowflakes and Wink of Stella shimmer on the snowy cut out areas of the sledding kids.  I wasn't sure I liked it at first, but it's grown on me and, as always, it's much prettier in person when you can get the full effect of the sparkle and texture.

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #96 -- Not the Norm.  Use non-traditional colors.
NBUS Challenge #72 -- My "never before used schtuff" is the Cottage Cutz Alpine Sledding die

 

I'm glad you could stop by today.  Take care till next time!

Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Winter Wavy Sayings  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly designer paper  Ink:  Melon Mambo for sentiment, Copics to color snowflakes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Alpine Sledding, Spellbinders Essential Arches, Lawn Fawn Fancy Wavy Banners, Impression Obsession Snowflakes, tiny snowflakes from another Cottage Cutz set  Other:  Diamond Stickles, Wink of Stella, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Folk Art Fox

Hello, friends!  It's good to see you again.

You may remember I said I was going to use this particular 2013 MME Notable designer paper on every card until it was gone.  I had such a little bit left, but it was still card-worthy.  Well, today's card finished it off -- happy dance!  There will be one more post using this paper, but I decided to mix things up a bit as there are some challenges that inspired me.  They call for something new, a birthday, and pretty papers.  I'll list all at the end.

My "something new" (to me) is the Cottage Cutz Folk Art Fox.  I loved their entire folk art release, but waited for a sale and then picked up a few pieces.  Just because I'm focusing on the "new" doesn't mean the old stuff gets neglected -- such as the Memory Box Tree of Wonder (2013), and the Tutti Designs heart I tucked into the branches.  In fact, everything on this card, other than the fox, has been residing in my toy box for years.

For these smallest scraps it was infinite fun to use them for the fox and scene.  Nothing fancy, just folk art simplicity.  Ideas came along the way.  I don't even remember why I chose to tuck a heart into the tree branches, but I love it.  I added Stickles glitter to the flower centers, sponged the sky.

The challenges I had in mind at the start are listed below: 

Love Those Pretty Papers  -- Anything goes using patterned papers.
A Cut Above -- Anything goes using die cuts.
Seize the Birthday #297 -- Use something new.  My Folk Art Fox is new (to me).
NBUS Challenge #70 -- My "never before use schtuff" is the Cottage Cutz Folk Art Fox

 

 

Thanks ever so much for dropping in to share the crafty good times with me.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Wavy Sayings  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, My Mind's Eye Notable designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Pool Party, Close to Cocoa for sponging edges of fox  Coloring:  Copics and ink blending  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Folk Art Fox, Memory Box Tree of Wonder, Lawn Fawn Fancy Wavy Banners, Tutti Designs Stitched Nesting Hearts, Die-namics Fresh Cut Grass, Impression Obsession Leaf Cluster  Other:  Flower punch, 1/8" circle punch for flower centers, Stardust Stickles

Double D 9th Anniversary/Birthday Celebration

Happy new year, everyone, and happy anniversary/birthday to Double D!  This was the challenge blog that started it all for Diane and Darlene.  I've lost track of how many challenge blogs they now operate, but it's a lot!  Today we'd like to invite you to join us in celebrating the happy beginning.

Make an anniversary or birthday themed card or project and share it with us on the challenge blog.  You may be a random prize winner or a creative favorite.

I'm celebrating in my typical old-meets-new style with rainbow colors and presents and birthday wishes.  The Die-namites Hanging Presents is an older die from an out of business company, and the "happy birthday" is a newish-to-me Cottage Cutz die.  Seems they just sort of fell together on this mini-slimline card.

The dies are all two layers of 110 lb Neenah white with inks brushed on in rainbow fashion.  The stars popped out of the presents and the colors pop on black, so there you go.  Happy birthday Double D!

Come join us, and don't forget your party hat!  Have a happy day!

Candy Cane Mouse

Season's greetings!  Moving right along, I have two quick cards today.  I say quick because some of the parts were already made and awaiting their turn to be on a card.  Both cards feature the Cottage Cutz Candy Cane Mouse.  The sentiment is Cottage Cutz also.  Ready and waiting was the snowflake embossed background, a beautiful folder I've had for years.  I'd smooshed with white pigment ink to bring out the pattern in a soft and snowy way.

The mouse was brushed with inks to color.  Copics in some of the small parts.  Easy enough to make two of them.

For the second card, the base is 111 lb patterned cardstock which I'd previously cut and folded into a card.  I topped it with the already made Penny Black Crystal Frames(s).  I had also cut the frame with a separate stitched rectangle as the Crystal Frame does not cut an outer edge.  Placed the mouse on the inside edge of the frame, added a sentiment -- done!

Those spare card parts do help move things along when I remember to use them.  Merry merry!  Thank you for taking the time to visit!

Cheer Deer

 Hello!  Another day, another deer card...  Today it's Cottage Cutz dies -- Holiday Reindeer and Birch Trees -- from one of the fantastic sales at The Scrapping Cottage.  These are two favorite dies for sure.  I think the reindeer with presents is so pretty!

I sponged blue ink on the card base and masked an area for the snow.  Reindeer & presents are colored with Copics, birch trees were stamped with an old SU background stamp called Weathered Wood.  It's one of the easiest cards I've done this year and one of my favorites.

I'm still trying to get the rest of the cards in the mail.  You know how time consuming a job that is, and something else always comes up.  I persevere.

Happy holidays!

Stamps:  Penny Black Joy & Warmth sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb  Ink:  SU Bashful Blue, Going Gray, Memento Rich Cocoa  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Holiday Reindeer, Birch Trees

Double D Challenge: Christmas Ornaments

Hi, friends!  Here we are at the start of December and the countdown to Christmas.  Many of you have probably already put some Christmas cards in the mail.  The first of mine went out this morning.  However, I'm still making them, too, and Diane is helping us along with her theme for the Double D Challenge  -- Christmas Ornaments.  The mood board gives us some pretty inspiration, and you can see the beautiful ornament die which will go to a random winner.  Creative winners are voted on by the team.

 

I saw a hint of blue in the board and decided to go with that for my Cottage Cutz ornaments.  It's one ornament die with a variety of ways you can decorate it.  I ink blended with brushes, added the silver accents, and hung them on an ornament-embossed background using a rearranged string and bow from a Memory Box die set.

Silver stars, silver sentiment... the embossing folder is a Darice oldie called Ornament/Star/Snowflake.  The sentiment is Cottage Cutz.  I do take advantage of their extreme sales at The Scrapping Cottage.

Come on over and see all the pretty ornament inspiration at Double D.  We'd love to see yours in the gallery.  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  None except inside sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, silver mirror cardstock  Ink:  Stampin Up Taken with Teal and Not Quite Navy  Coloring:  Inks and blending brushes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Old Fashioned Ornament 2, CC Merry Christmas, Memory Box Precious Hearts (bows & string), MFT stars, Very old Cuttlebug ornaments embossing folder

Two for Christmas

Hello!  It's time for me to get serious about finishing the Christmas cards.  Today I have two more Cottage Cutz characters.  The first is Snowman in Cocoa.  I styled this card, not only around the cocoa mug, but around the Tiled Motif embossing folder as well.  I wanted a lot of the embossing to show, so I die cut a mat from some crystal clear cardstock I've had for years.  I framed over the edges and adhered the Snowman in Cocoa onto the clear cardstock.

It's very bright and cheery!  I love the peppermints, but I'm especially partial to the little cocoa splatters.  I goofed his eyes when I dotted with a pen so I rescued with my smallest black pearls.  The close up below is intended to show the shine of the clear cardstock mat.  It's a fun feature that lets all of the embossing show, yet provides a smooth, solid surface onto which to glue the small parts.

Spellbinders helped out with the Scallop Labels and Tag for the frame, Make it Merry Sentiments, and Tiled Motif 3D embossing folder.  I had just the right scrap of peppermint designer paper, and a border strip from Memory Box Double Scallop Oval and Border.

**********

The second card is much quieter.  I pulled a background piece from my bag o' backgrounds.   I'm pretty sure it's a stencil monoprint.  I went a little nuts making monoprints about 3 years ago when I learned the technique.  It's addictive.  See a video here.  Also see a great post with lots of information by the Group of Seven Cardmakers here.

The Penguin w/Candy Cane comes with the smallest snowflake, and I added two more from another Cottage Cutz set.  Hand cut the snow banks, colored with Copics.  Sentiment from Poppystamps Christmas Banners.  I used Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles for the mat with the image panel inset rather than layered.  I hope that makes sense.

Challenges today:

Can You Handle the Pressure -- Use an embossing folder.  Optional coffee~cocoa~warm drinks.
NBUS Challenge #68 -- Never before used schtuff.  Both Cottage Cutz characters and the Tiled Motif embossing folder are NBUS.

 

Thanks for letting me share my fun crafty time with you.  I hope you found a smile here today.  Hugs all around!