DaniJean Crafts: Stampin Friends November Blog Hop--Celebrate the Season

Welcome Crafters

This is the last blog hop of 2021 for my stampin friends and me! I'm so glad you have joined us to see what we have created for this month's theme: Celebrate the Season. If you are "hopping" from blog to blog, you may have come from Barb's blog. I hope you will hop along to see Maureen's seasonal creations next. There is a list of the bloggers with their links at the end of my blog.

I made a card and a gift card holder. I used some items that can be purchased now from the Annual Catalog or the August-December 2021 Mini Catalog (highlighted in red ink) and some retired items that are no longer available.

Recently I participated in a craft show selling Christmas cards, gift tags, money envelopes, gift card holders, and stocking stuffers. After the show, I began cleaning my craft room--the scraps of pretty paper were everywhere! This is how I store my 6 x 6" pretty designer series paper and their scraps:

The smaller scraps go into a clear envelope.

When I get a new pad of 6 x 6 paper, I make a box for it. I create a label with the name of the paper and the Stampin' Up! colors that are in the paper. The clear envelope with the scraps goes in the front. The boxes are stored in photo boxes for quick and easy access.

What to do with all those scraps? Making a background "quilt" using the scraps is one of my favorite ways to use them.
I began this time by choosing various size strips of the Gingerbread and Peppermint paper and laying them out. It was fun to see how many ways there were to organize the colors and designs. Once I was happy with the look, I began gluing them to a 4 x 5-1/4" piece of Cinnamon Cider card stock.

After making 5 rows, I stamped the tiny peppermints with Cinnamon Cider ink onto the rest of the cardstock. I wasn't happy with the result. The pattern was too busy, so I cut all but an inch off, and mounted it onto a piece of white card stock. Then I trimmed that whole piece and embossed just the white part with the Hammered Metal Embossing Folder. Then I adhered it to a 4 x 5-1/4" Real Red mat.
To make the "iced" gingerbread cookies, I cut the outlines from more of the Cinnamon Cider card stock, and then adhered the white icing pieces. Gluing those delicately cut pieces was a snap using our Adhesive Sheets! To finish it off, I added ribbon, baking twine. a small greeting, and rhinestones that I colored with my Poppy Parade Blends.

Inside

I like to add pretty paper to the envelope flap. I put glue close to the edge all around the envelope flap on the RIGHT side of the flap. I put the DSP on right up to the very top.

When it's dry, I flip it over and trim the excess DSP.

Here's another look at the card and envelope:

The gift card holder

I rarely can bring myself to get rid of any of my Christmas stamp sets, so my collection is large! I used several retired items in this gift card holder.

Directions:

Cut Real Red Card Stock Base 5" x 7-3/4" and score at 1-3/4" on one end.

Rotate it 180 degree and score at 2-3/4".

Using the "zig zag" die in the Basic Borders Die Set, trim about 1/4" from the edge of the LONGER flap.

Cut Basic White Card Stock for the background 2" x 4-3/4".

Details:

1. Stamp the curvy tree line. (Shady Spruce)

2. Sponge lightly a blue sky. (Misty Moonlight)

3. I used Smoky Slate ink and the contour stamp in the Snow Front stamp set to create an illusion of snow. I wanted a very light image, so I "stamped off" on scratch paper twice and then stamped the image on the white card stock.

4. Die cut a tree in Shady Spruce card stock. The star is from the Stitched Stars die set.

5. Punch a hole for the ribbon closure.

6. Cut the white greeting piece 2 x 5".

7. Stamp a greeting and decorate as desired. (My tree came from an old Paper Pumpkin kit.)

8. I free hand cut the curve. The scrap I cut off usually becomes the snow at the bottom of the pocket. (You may notice that my piece at the bottom doesn't really matchup with the greeting piece. Oops--I misplaced my scrap and had to cut another one.)

9. Use a circle punch to create the finger opening BEFORE adhering the sides of the card pocket.

I hope you like my projects and comment below. Thanks!

Here are my stampin friends and their links:

Retired Products used:

Mini Curvy Keepsake Box Dies

Curvy Dies

Curvy Christmas Stamp Set

Itty Bitty Christmas Stamp Set

Snow Front Stamp Set

Current Products Used:

If you would like to purchase any of these items, click on the blue words and you will be directed to my online "store." Thanks so much!

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482] $8.75	Shaded Spruce 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146981] $8.75	Cinnamon Cider 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153078] $8.75	Stitched Stars Dies [150653] $38.00
Layering Circles Dies [151770] $35.00	Basic Borders Dies [155558] $29.00	Hammered Metal 3D Embossing Folder [150646] $9.00	Frosted Gingerbread Bundle (English) [156807] $48.50
Gingerbread & Peppermint 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [156313] $11.50	Adhesive Sheets [152334] $10.00	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $5.00	Poppy Parade Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154958] $9.00