Hello, Crafters.
The government are re-introducing social restrictions because the number of Covid-19 cases is rising at an alarming rate! Since the government started relaxing the lockdown so many people think that the pandemic is over! Unfortunately, coronavirus is live, well and thriving!
I thoroughly enjoyed making today’s card although I was a bit miffed I haven’t bought the Fireside Trimmings Stamp Set. You can bet your bottom dollar it will be on my next order! The stamp set has a fireplace and bits and pieces for the mantelpiece. Having said that I’m still pleased with the end result and it’s a great example of managing with the products we have in our stash!
The A Merry Hello Stamp Set is a Hostess Set available if you place an order of £150/€200 plus and is full of fun images for Christmas. It’s also a two-step stamp set but I chose to colour the stockings freehand using my Stampin’ Blends. The four colours I used are Old Olive, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party and Grey Granite. I up-ended the image of the three stockings and set it on my Stamparatus to stamp the image three times.
After I had coloured all three images I set about fussy cutting them all. Needless to say, the stockings were easy but it was the “cord” and the loops that were the challenge. I didn’t attempt to cut the centre of the loops out but used the Dark Grey Granite Blend to colour the inside of the loop so it was very similar in colour to the brick wall!
The two pieces of Designer Series Paper (DSP) are from the In Good Taste pack. For the shelf, I cut a strip of wood-like DSP one inch wide and about four inches long. The top of the shelf is three-quarters of an inch down from the top of the DSP. The sentiment MERRY CHRISTMAS is from the Cherish the Season Stamp Set and I stamped it in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink onto a half-inch strip of Crumb Cake Cardstock (CS).
When I adhered the two images of the three stockings on the mantelpiece I kept them attached to each other in two sets of three. It was after they had been attached to the card front that I went back and very carefully added some Tombow along the lengths of black “cord”. Next, I adhered some retired black Baker’s Twine to cover the original cardstock “cord”. Then I added three very small Baker’s Twine bows!
In the absence of ornaments or bits and pieces to decorate the mantelpiece with I decided to hang a mirror on the wall! I already had a stamped and die-cut frame created with the stamp set called Framed For You. I had die-cut the frame using the Layering Square Dies using nos. 5 and 9 straight cut dies. I found a thin strip of Silver Foil in my scrap folder and used that behind the frame to mimic a mirror! I cut it so it lined up with the top edge of the DSP which gave a good amount of mirror on show!
I used Basic Black CS for the middle layer and Crumb Cake CS for the card base. Inside the card, I adhered a middle layer of Basic Black CS and a top layer of Crumb Cake CS. I adhered the third stamped, painted and fussy cut image of the three stockings at the top of the Crumb Cake CS layer. To tidy up each end of the “cord” the stockings were hanging on I die-cut two small bows from the Special Day Dies which co-ordinates with the Special Someone Stamp Set. 
This is the type of card that I wouldn’t make lots of because it was very time-consuming but to do it once just because I wanted to, gave me so much enjoyment. To me that’s what a hobby is all about – don’t you agree? That’s it from me today. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday and I look forward to being back with you tomorrow! In the meantime, please take care and stay safe. Happy crafting.
JanB. xx
Products used for this project: please click on any of the links to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’ Up! shop. The Hostess Code for SEPTEMBER 2020 is AYW6BVVJ. Thank you. xx
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Cardstock Layer Sizes: A4
Card base 8¼” x 5¾” scored and folded at 4 1/8”
Middle layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5½”
Top layer: 2 pieces 3¾” x 5 3/8”
Cardstock Layer Sizes: Letter-size
Card base 8½” x 5½” scored and folded at 4¼”
Middle layer: 2 pieces 4” x 5¼”
Top layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”
I do agree with you – there is pleasure in the “doing” of a project – working out the details to create a singular piece of “art,” applying oneself to the process and “escaping” for a short time, the rewards of a finished piece.
That said, you have inspired me/us to forge ahead by providing unique ideas and techniques. THANK YOU!
Many thanks, Billie. I’m glad I’m not on my own! xx