Christmas Card with "Bells and Boughs"

This card was created for a holiday wow swap recently. Participants had to make cards with at least 4 layers of cardstock, 3 different embellishments and a stamp set from the Holiday Mini 2010. I used Stampin' Up!'s Bells and Boughs stamp set, Sahara Sand, Old Olive, River Rock, Early Espresso and Whisper White cardstock, Supernova Fine Stampin' Glitter, Basic Pearls Jewel Accents, Decorative Label Punch, Scallop Oval Punch and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon. I stamped the holly background with Old Olive classic ink and colored in the bells with watercolor crayons.

Designer Fabric on Cards

If you check out the Stampin' Up! 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog, it is chock full of new stamps, punches, dies, designer series paper and new designer fabric! So Stampin' Up! not only carries color-coordinating markers, craft & classic ink pads, cardstock, designer series paper, ribbon, rub-ons, albums, brads, buttons, embellishments, digital art and vinyl decor elements, but textiles now as well! Imagine creating a vintage wristlet with Deck the Halls Designer Fabric and a vintage brad accent, a peppermint candy-shaped throw pillow with Candy Cane Christmas Designer Fabric, or a fabric Christmas tree ornament to attach to a gift.

This may sound overwhelming, but perhaps you could start by trying fabric on cards. If you have used ribbon to make bows, ruffles or simple trim along the side of a card, it would be a snap to take a strip of fabric and use the same techniques. The difference is that Stampin' Up!'s designer fabric has multicolored prints... so each design can spruce up your card and match designer series paper.

Here are some examples of cards using designer fabric at Convention 2010:





Below is a holiday card I made for a swap on Splitcoaststampers. I used the Tags til Christmas stamp set, real red, old olive, bashful blue, pear pizzazz and whisper white cardstock, night of navy, real red, pretty in pink and pear pizzazz stampin' markers, silver glass glitter, pretty in pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, basic rhinestones, Big Shot, perfect polka dots textured impressions embossing folder, decorative label punch and Candy Cane Christmas designer fabric.

I think it would be great to make the snowglobe really pop out by using a Stampin' Up! sweet treat cup and filling it with either glitter or circle confetti. It could make a great shaker card.

If you'd love to see more cards with designer fabric, here are creations by:
Cindee Wilkinson
Michele Reynolds
Sabriena Satchwell

Lots of Layers Swaps

I'm a swap-a-holic. How do I know? I keep checking for new swaps more times than I eat meals (at least 5 times a day), I managed to join a mega swap (48 + 2 = 50 card fronts) and 5 spots in a "Lots of Layers" swap (5 designs x 8 cards = 40) with due dates all within a couple of weeks, and when I finish one set of swaps I sign up for another. On one hand, swaps compel me to use my stamps as much as possible. I tend to collect stamps, embellishments and ribbon and store them neatly away. They would only come out when I get new stuff and need to reorganize... or when the Stampin' Up! retiring list is posted and I separate the current stamps from retired ones. On the other hand, I am quite addicted! The post office people will expect my visits to be on a regular basis.

Here are some recent cards I made for the 2009-2010 SU Catalog Lots of Layers swap:


(Thanks to Sandra Hanedanian for taking the photo of the Halloween card above... I was in such a hurry and didn't get to make another copy to scan/photograph.)