Christmas Card with Luke 2 and Interactive Vellum

I had one more Cottage Cutz nativity die cut so I designed a background for a Christmas card quoting Luke 2. I went to Bible Gateway, chose the version I wanted and entered Luke 2 for the search. I used Microsoft Word to make a 5" x 7" document with narrow margins. Then I copied and pasted the portion of the passage I wanted, and played with font and size until it fit the area. I chose Alignment that was even on both sides, printed on white cardstock, then trimmed all excess off the four sides. I lightly sponged some ink on the sides to "age" the paper.

I glued the nativity die cut on a piece of vellum that had gold foil dots, which to me were like stars.  I wanted the text to be readable so I scored and folded the top of the vellum panel and glued it behind the top of the text. I tied burlap string around the bottom of the panel to tuck in the vellum.

I love making Christmas cards that express the joy of the first Christmas! Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you create cards for your friends and loved ones!

Come back tonight or in the morning and follow the links on my next post for a blog hop with about 30 of us showing ideas using the stamp set, "For the Love of Crafting!"

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge - P, Q, R - I used Q for Quotes
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' July challenge - anything Christmas
Cut It Up Challenge #153 - Christmas in July
Die Cuttin' Divas #380 - anything goes with die cut
Dream Valley Challenge #183 - Christmas in July
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - make your own background
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #33 - anything Christmas
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #346 - 347 - anything goes

Psalm 19:1 (WEB)
The heavens declare the glory of God. 

The expanse shows his handiwork.

365 Promises of God - Promise #213:The heavens declare My glory and reveal My handiwork.

Merry & Bright Snowy Woods

Have you ever walked through the deep woods of tall trees and heard them creak in the wind? It's erie and awesome.  I've had some of my best memories made during hikes in forests or woods. That's what my card today reminds me of. My brother's house is in the woods. A few years ago he took me on a four-wheel ride along the trails he made. He sees a lot of deer and other wildlife on his land so I send him a Christmas card with deer each year. I thought the color challenge at Color Throwdown would be the perfect combination for a woodsy Christmas card for him.

I cut the birch tree background and red birds with Cricut Artfully Sent and removed two of the trees to make room for the sentiment and snowflakes.  The evergreen tree is from Flower Market cartridge and the deer is from You Are Here.  The larger space between the trees was just the right size for the retired CTMH snowflake background stamp. I used Mink pigment ink and clear embossing powder to add a little sparkle.

The retired CTMH Falling for You green patterned paper had small lighter circles. I added a dot of Nuvo Crystal drops in each one hoping it would look a little icy.  The deer and birch tree background were attached to the card with Thin 3-D Foam Dots and the evergreen tree was a little higher since it was in the front so I attached it with regular foam dots.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you create cards to bless someone else.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge #208 - Christmas in July

Christmas Crafts All Year Round - add a tree

Color Throwdown Challenge #503 - Red, Green, Gray

Crafters Castle Challenge #7 - anything goes with option of Christmas in July

Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #379 - Christmas in July

Dragonfly Journeys #123 - Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky Challlenge #404 - Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Christmas in July

Sweet Stampers Challenge #22 - Christmas in July

The Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes Christmas

Psalm 86:7 (WEB) In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

365 Promises of God - Promise #207: When problems arise, call to Me and I will answer you.

Non-Traditional Colors Manger Scene

The challenge at International Art and Soul got me thinking about my favorite Christmas tradition. I try to  to remind my grandchildren of the true meaning of Christmas, that God sent His promised Son, born of a virgin, to live among men and to die for their sins. The story is both humble and holy. I always set out a manger scene when my kids were little and now they do the same for their kids.

 I had seen the challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown to make a non-traditional card. I don't usually think of cocoa, purple, orange, pink, and gold to represent the night Christ was born, but scraps I had out on my table seemed to work well together with a Cottage Cutz manger scene die. The purple Pansy paper from Make Waves with white dots reminded me of a starry sky. I thought the Tangerine and Blossom dots could be a stream of light from the star that shone so brightly that night.

The die actually had the star attached to the manger, but I trimmed off the Cocoa star and cut just that edge of the die with Gold glitter paper and placed it high in the sky.  I used scrap paper to try different patterns of light until I found one I liked and traced it onto the Tangerine and Blossom dotted paper. I started to make it big enough to hold the sentiment, but in the end decided the sentiment looked better outside the spotlight. The gold edges are made from Gold Shimmer Trim.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you will also make cards that spread the joyful message of the true meaning of Christmas!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges;

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Non-traditional Christmas Card
Aud Sentiments Challenge #208 - Christmas in July + a sentiment
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' July Challenge - anything goes Christmas
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #477 - Christmas
Crafter's Castle Challenge #7 - anything goes  option/Christmas in July
Crafty Catz Challenge #426 - anything goes with Dies and Punches
Crafty Galz Corner #170 - Christmas in July
Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #123 - Christmas in July
International Art and Soul Challenge #38 - Christmas Traditions
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use a die or punch

Black and Silver Christmas

In the heat of summer it's nice to think cool thoughts and make snowy Christmas cards. I thought the color challenge to make a Christmas card with black and silver or gold would be fun to try.

I still have some CTMH Snowhaven paper that is black with a pattern of snowflakes.  I added silver foil paper, a silver glitter paper snowflake from Cricut Flower Market, silver shimmer trim, silver sequins, and a transparent strip with silver dots (the other side has gold dots). I even traced the white sentiment from a CTMH Silver and Gold PML card with a shimmer brush but the glittery shine didn't show up in this photo.

Thank you for visiting! May your crafting bless your heart and your gifting bless others.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown July Colour challenge - black and silver or gold

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #53 - anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #394 - anything goes/ option to use a die cut

Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #109 - the most wonderful time of the year (Christmas!)

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Christmas in July
Ike's World Challenge #110 - anything goes/ Christmas in July
Shopping Our Stash #363 - Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Add a little sparkle

The 12 Months of Christmas July Challenge- anything goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes

Psalm 138:7 (WEB)

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me. 
You will stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies. 
Your right hand will save me.

365 Promises of God - Promise #198: I will save you in the midst of your troubles.

Rustic Christmas Joy

When I saw the sketch from Atlantic Hearts this week I envisioned a rustic, masculine Christmas card using the Fresh Air papers.

I cut a tag and vellum snowflake on the Cricut. I used the center cut-outs of several snowflakes as small ones in the corner. The gold glitter "JOY" was from CTMH letter dies.

I used woodgrain design papers and green and brown colors hoping to make this card masculine. I liked the birchwood panel which had an arrow already printed on it. It was one of the 4" x 6" pocket cards in the paper pack that I cut down to 4" x 5.25."  The tag was also one of the pocket cards with  a pattern of small evergreen trees. I leaned something important making this card: don't try to cut out vellum shapes on a new cricut mat!  I'm hoping this card will bring Christmas Joy to someone in December!

Thank you for visiting! May God fill your heart with  joy and blessings as you create cards for others!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #269 - sketch

Aud Sentiments Challenge #206 - anything goes with a sentiment

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' June Challenge - anything goes

Crimbo Crackers #161 - anything goes

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday June Challenge - Make it masculine

Happy Little Stampers June Christmas Challenge - anything goes with option: JOY

Moo-Mania & More Challenge #168 - arrows

Pile It On #143 - any holiday

The Merry Christmas Challenge #25 - anything Christmas goes

Matthew 5:9 (WEB)

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

365 Promises of God - Promise #173: I will bless the peacemakers and call them My children.

Penguin Christmas Wishes

I was still inspired by the challenge at Winter Wonderland to make cards with Christmas birds. This time, a more fun look using some of my older CTMH paper (Free to Be Me) and retired stamps (Wintry Wishes). I started to make two the same with red and green. . .

but then I flipped the red patterned paper over to the turquoise pattern and decided that was my favorite.

I used the cut out negative portion as a frame for the inside sentiment in each card. It was cut with the PTI die, Shape Shifters Square 1. The Christmas tree die is from the CTMH die and stamp set, Cozy Christmas. The inside was stamped with Altenew "Holiday Wishes"

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you bless others with the cards you make!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge #472 - use at least 2 dies
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #472 - Christmas
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #214 - wet/dry embossing (The Paper Studio holly embossing folder)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #390 - anything goes (opt. nontraditional colors)
Die Cuttin Divas Challenge #374 - embossing (dry or heat)  + dies (2)
The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #31 - anything Christmas goes
Winter Wonderland - Christmas Birds

Isaiah 61:3 (WEB)
to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they may be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.

365 Promises of God-Promise #170: I will give you a garment of praise in exchange for your spirit of heaviness.

Silhouettes of Christmas Doves

During the winter and late spring we were feeding birds outside our kitchen window. So many birds came to the feeder, we had to put down bird seed in several wide swaths on the patio to accommodate all of the hungry visitors.  Late in the season when doves arrived I could see why they are often portrayed as symbols of peace. They weren't pushy like the blue jays and some sparrows. They slowly, gently walked into a group to feed. Although they were bigger than the sparrows and juncos that we had so many of, their behavior seemed to say, "You go first, I can wait" or "it's your turn-you need it more than I do." At the time, I thought we could all take a few lessons from such birds.

I made two Christmas cards with a vintage silhouette digi of two doves from Free Trinkets and Treasures with the PEACE sentiment. I changed the colors from black to a peaceful light blue.

I embossed the white card base with snowflakes and used some very old CTMH Sweet Home papers that matched the blue of the doves.  I die cut the image panel with PTI 's Pretty Brackets die and snowflakes from silver glitter paper and added a bow with white and silver ribbon.  I used leftover paper to add more interest to the inside.

Thanks for visiting! May you be blessed as you create Christmas blessings for others!

I'm sharing these cards with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #52 - anything goes
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' June Challenge - anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #472 - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #160 - anything goes Christmas
Pile It On Challenge #143 - All sorts of holidays
The Holly and the Ivy #31 - Anything Christmas Goes

Winter Wonderland - Christmas Birds

Ephesians 3:20 (WEB)
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

365 Promises (of God) - Promise #167: I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.

Snowflake Joy

It might seem strange to some to make snowy Christmas cards on a day when the temperatures reached 91 degrees, but I think it's the perfect way to think cool thoughts and work on getting ahead. I made a couple of fun, easy ones using a PTI Mix n Mat Snowflake die, a Darice embossing folder, glitter cardstock, and CTMH letter dies.

I put white glitter cardstock behind the die cut panel.

The inside was stamped simply with the retired CTMH Very Merry stamp set.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you make and give your lovely creations for friends and family!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise #51 - anything Christmas goes
CCEE Stampers #1822 - use embossing folders
Creative Knockouts #248 - embossing
Crimbo Crackers  #159 - anything Christmas goes
Die Cuttin' Divas #371 - anything goes
The Holly and the Ivy #30 -  anything Christmas goes

Titus 1:2 (WEB)
in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie,
promised before time began;

365 Promises of God - Promise #151:   You can rest in My promise of eternal life, for I cannot lie.

Very Merry Holly Berries

I really like challenges because they give me ideas to focus on when there are so many choices in my stamp arsenal. I made another Christmas card inspired by two previous challenges I saw, one to include holly and another to include candy canes. I knew holly was symbolic at Christmas. Here's what it means:  Legend states that holly berries were originally white, but that the blood Christ shed for the sins of humankind stained the berries forever red. A holly's pointed leaves symbolize the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head before he died on the cross. Candy canes are symbolic, too. The 'J' can mean Jesus. The white of the cane stands for the purity of Jesus Christ and the red stripes are for the blood he shed when he died on the cross.

I selected a digital stamp I've had from Power Poppy that had both holly and a candy cane. I colored the image with Copics. The sentiment is from a retired CTMH stamp set, Joy to You and Me. The Ruby colored paper from long-retired Sparkle and Shine had a pattern resembling the pattern on the embossing folder I used. I chose to  use this sketch from The Paper Players Challenge: 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #51 - anything goes

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' May Challenge - anything Christmas goes

The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #30 - anything goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge #22 - anything Christmas goes

The Paper Players Challenge #395 - sketch

Thank you for visiting!  May you be blessed as you create cards to bless others!

Philippians 1:6 (WEB)
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

365 Promises of God - Promise #150:   I began the good work in you and I will finish it.

Christmas Peace with Lace and Snow

I'm so glad there are Christmas challenges to remind me to get started on the mountain of Christmas cards that I need every year. I wanted to convey the message of PEACE that our world so desperately needs today. At the birth of Christ the angels brought the message of "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men."

I made three versions of this blue and silver card using some very old CTMH designer paper with lilac mist diamonds that I embossed with a snowflake border. You have to look pretty hard to see the diamond pattern, but in person, it adds additional interest beyond what plain cardstock would have.  That blue background is adhered to a silver foiled card.

I used a Spellbinders "Peace Sentiment" die set to cut the swirly oval shape with the silver word 'Peace."  On the last two cards below I stacked two of the white die cut to give it more dimension. I used a row of lace on each card and white glitter paper snowflakes punched with a Martha Stewart punch, with a pearl in the middle of each. The card base is truly a shiny silver even though the photo looks black.

The next version has the addition of a silver doily half.

This third one is my hubby's favorite because it has a lacy border on the left.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you share God's peace with your family, your neighbors, the world.

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - May stash: Lace
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - May Anything Christmas
Crafting by Designs - Get Ready for Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #387 - anything goes/option of silver
Crafty Catz #418 - anything goes/option of Christmas
The Holly and the Ivy #29 - Anything Christmas
Through the Purple Haze #144 - pearls or lace

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (WEB)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times
in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
   

365 Promises - Promise #41: I will give you peace at all times and in every situation.   

Poinsettia Peace and Joy

We live in a world in desperate need of peace as well as joy. This Christmas card sentiment has a much deeper meaning than a trite or overused expression during the holidays. I saw another school shooting this week that was violent and senseless. When I was in school, one of our teachers taught us The Golden Rule at the beginning of the year and had it posted in front of the room all year: ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you. (NRSV) Luke 6:31. In high school a student would always read a scripture and another would lead in prayer before assemblies. Both schools were public schools.

Teachers and schools can't do that now. Taking the influence of the Bible and prayer out of school may have kept some from being offended, but it also removed the positive influence of Christian values that had been present in our society for generations.  Now we must pray for the Prince of Peace to heal troubled minds and hearts in the parts of our world where violence has destroyed peace and joy.

I made two versions of this Christmas card. Hubby likes the first and I like the second. They were made from DCWV paper, a gold embossed sentiment, gold sequins, and a ribbed gold ribbon.

To make these cards I played with the Power Poppy digital image in Photoshop to change it from a black and gray to an rgb image so I could change the color balance to red and magenta instead of black.

For the inside I changed the hue/saturation of the poinsettias adjusting the light/darkness bar to more light.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you share the message of Christ's love and peace with a hurting world.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - J for Joy and K for Keep it Simple (I chose J)

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #51 - Christmas anything goes

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' May- Christmas anything goes

Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round - Christmas anything goes

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #158 - Christmas anything goes

Jingle Belles - Holiday ribbon

The 12 Months of Christmas Challlenge #41 - anything goes Christmas

The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #29 - anything Christmas goes

365 Promises - Promise #140: All My blessings will overtake those who obey Me.