Christmas in July!

Yep, this month’s host for the challenge blog is the talented Karen Ostergard,  the only member of the Design Team that I have met in person.  Somehow, thanks to FB, I feel like I know them all!  Karen has challenged the team, and you, should you take the challenge, to make a Christmas themed card this week over at: Crazy4Challenges

The Steps:

Step 1:  Cut a rectangle from white cardstock that measures 5″ x 6.75″.  Then put this through an embossing folder that resembles snow.  I used one from Darice called Dot.  I like it because the dot’s are small and close together.  The folder is exactly 5 x 6.75″.

Step 2:  Make a base card by scoring an 8.5″ x  11″ of red cardstock at 5.5″ on the long side.  Fold over for a book fold, and trim to 5″ x 7″.  Adhere the embossed layer to the front of the card.

Step 3:  I purchased this die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs: Garden Notes – Birds 1

As of this writing 7/10/19 it was on sale for $4.95! Click on link above! You get both birds!  (the Cardinal I used this week and the little garden bird I used on the card on the right:

 

Cut the Cardinal bird out of white cardstock and color with Copic Markers R35, R37 and R39.  The branch is Copic Markers E70, E71, and E74. Bird face – Copic 100 Black. Bird nose – E31.

Step 4:  Using these two die sets from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

765 – Sprig with Berries     and     1088 – Garden Notes – Holiday Holly & Berries

I cut the “Sprig with Berries” twice from an Olive cardstock and then added some ink shading with a darker green ink and finger dauber.  I cut a few of the “Holly leaves” in each size and from the same Olive green cardstock. The “branch” pc. from white  card stock and colored it with Copic Markers E70, E71  The berries cut from red cardstock.

Step 5:  I used this discontinued die set from Karen Burniston called: “Iron Fence Pop-up” and cut the fence die pc, from black cardstock.

Step 6:  Assemble the card by adhering the black fence to the front of the card lining up the bottom of the fence with the bottom of the embossed layer.  Now add the “Sprig with Berries” and “Holly and Berries” where you like them.  I started with gluing the “Sprigs” end to end, then the “Holly and Berries”, and last attached the Cardinal on with foam dots.

Step 7: The sentiment is this one from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1235 – Merry Christmas

I have to give a testimonial and review of a product that I had never heard of but decided to try.  It’s called StickySpecks.  It’s basically a sheet of clear double sided adhesive.  But, most of these kind of products are one solid sheet of adhesive poured over a sheet of non stick backing.  But StickySpecks are millions of tiny little “specks” of adhesive separate from each other, but hard to see the separation with the human eye.  I tried this product out with the Merry Christmas cut die sentiment.  I used Silver Mirror Stock and hoped this worked.  There are so many small negative pieces in die cuts like this.  When you lift intricut dies like this from adhesive sheets, a lot of the time in the small neg. holes the adhesive in those areas come up too.  It’s difficult to pull that excessive adhesive off without making a mess.  With StickySpecks, only what you want lift off the sheet easily and the negative pieces don’t.  Result:  No mess, easy, clean, precise sticker!

Here’s a YouTube video

Well, that’s it!  I have received no monetary compensation for this review.  In fact, I’m sure they don’t even know I exist…but I do and I highly endorse this product.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Other Products Used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue