Day 91 ‘til Christmas: Stamped Santa

Day 91 'til Christmas: Stamped Santa

Cardmaker: Christie Hund
aka: "Creations by Christie"

Here's what Christie said about making this card:

"This card was made using Stamper's Anonymous Holiday Stamp Collections (#CMS051). It was quick and easy using a glue pen and some Flower Soft in the corner to accent the pine needles. I also used the glue pen and glitter to accent Santa's hat and beard, and the snowman in the corner. A little red inking and I was done."

Thank you, Christie, for allowing North Pole Cards to publish your creation! Now bloggers, head on over to Creations by Christie to follow along. Christie has some ingenious designs and her blog posts are always inspiring! Follow along.

92 Days 'Til Christmas: Beribboned Holly

92 Days 'Til Christmas: Beribboned Holly

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis
aka: CardMonkey

Blogsite: cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Here is a very simple card that's been mostly printed using my HP Inkjet Printer, then embellished.

The pretty holly swirl comes from ClickArt Online, a program that is a fee-based subscription -- I highly recommend it!

The sentiment is a free font also found online.

I arranged the holly and type using Adobe Illustrator, and printed it on a premade white card. The ribbon is by Martha Stewart ... it has adhesive already applied on the back of the ribbon, so it's easy-peasy to apply! I Stickled the red berries of the holly. I love that teeny opening in the Stickle bottle to get those fine dots!

This card would be very easy to mass produce, and I think it has a wonderful, classy look to it!

93 Days 'Til Christmas: Three Ornaments

93 Days 'Til Christmas: Three Ornaments

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis
aka CardMonkey

Blogsite: cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Recipe: I used the Cricut cartridge "Very Merry Tags" to cut three ornaments from complimenting papers. I Stickled the tops of the ornaments to make them seem more like a real ornament.

For the front/center ornament, I embossed some glitter onto the leaves and stems. For the ribbon hangers, I used very thin (1/8") permanent double-sided tape to hold the ribbons in place. The bows were tied to the ends of the mounted ribbons. The sentiment was handwritten in Stickles.

Now, my own critique: First, I definitely would cut or stamp a sentiment -- I don't like how the sentiment turned out on this one. Also, I think I should have used foam tape to mount and give dimension to the ornaments. Finally -- and aren't we our own worst critics?! -- I just don't like the papers I chose for the background/card color of papers. This is definitely one that was a learning experience!!

94 Days 'Til Christmas: Crimped Envelope Card

94 Days 'Til Christmas: Crimped Envelope Card

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis
AKA: CardMonkey

Blogsite: cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Recipe to make this card: Here is an unusual way to start your card ... take a standard envelope for your card and seal it shut. Holding the envelope horizontally (that is, looking at where you'd write your recipient's address if you were sending it), cut off 1.5" of the envelope's left side and save that piece. Run the envelope through your crimping tool from top to bottom ... that is, so the now open/cut side is on your left side. What you are trying to do is shorten up what will be the width of the envelope by crimping the paper, so it will fit into the cut off piece. Set aside the crimped envelope for decorating later.

Next, cover the uncrimped cut piece with a scrap of red cardstock, front and back. Using a rivet-inserting tool, insert a green eyelet/rivet into the top. Put the cut piece over the crimped bottom to line up a 3/4" punched green round piece of paper and a coordinating brad, where you'll be wrapping your baker's twine. Decorate the bottom as desired. For my Santa and HO-HO-HO, I used Cricut cartridge Very Merry Tags and snipped off the top.

Make a card insert of your choosing, and voila!

95 Days 'Til Christmas: Santa Snow Globe

95 Days 'Til Christmas: Santa Snow Globe



Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis

AKA: CardMonkey

Blogsite: cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Recipe: For this card, I cut a 12x12" piece of Bazzill textured green cardstock to 7"x10", and folded in half to make a horizontal base card. I created the word stock paper by using various fonts and sayings, printed in green and red on my HP inkjet printer. For the "vintage" Santa image, I used clip art purchased from ClickArt Online, and trimmed to fit in a 3" circle, using my Cricut Cake Basics cartridge, with a "center point" on Santa's left cheek.

To produce the "snow globe", I mounted the trimmed Santa image to the back of a chipboard 3" round ring. I then cut a piece of clear acetate to match; I adhered both the bottom (Santa image) and top (acetate) using Clear Gloo, which is a cold caulking that adheres completely. Before gluing on the acetate, put a pinch of anti-static powder and a small amount of crystal fine glitter. I topped the acetate with a red cardstock frame cut with Cake Basics again, with the "real size dial" set at 3.25". I punched the holly leaves from a scrap of the Bazzill paper, though to use, I turned it over for a color contrast. The red berries are gems from Creative Charms.

I'll be putting a white writing surface inside this card because of the dark surface. I really like how this card turned out, and hope you do too!

96 Days 'Til Christmas: Hole Punch Wreath

96 Days 'Til Christmas: Hole Punch wreath



Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis



AKA: CardMonkey



Blogsite: http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/

To make this card, pick a color pallet that interests you -- expanding beyond the traditional Santa red and holly green. For this wreath, I used cardstocks in two shades of solid red, light thyme green, white, beige, metallic silver and burnt sienna. I pre-punched holes in as many sizes I had handy, with the largest being 3/4". I created a base for the wreath by cutting a paper ring and then glued each of these dots down upon the paper ring, building it until I was satisfied with its appearance. I made several of these wreaths in what seemed to be no time at all. I then attached the finished wreath, decorated with a bow, onto a card, and voila!

97 Days 'Til Christmas: Gingerbread Greetings

97 Days Til Christmas: Gingerbreak Greetings
(Slider Card)

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis
AKA: CardMonkey

Blogsite: www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Tools used for this: Template by Let's Party Hearty; Sizzix gingerbread dies; Cool Gloo; Xyron sticker maker; white pen

Following instructions on the template, create a pocket for the gingerbread recipe. Slider cards are fun and easy once you get the hang of it (in about 10 minutes). For easy adhering of the little gingerbread guys and the hearts, run them through your Xyron sticker machine ... very easy!


Here's the inside when you pull the slider insert out of the pocket.

98 Days Til Christmas: For Dog Fanciers

98 Days 'Til Christmas: For Dog Fanciers

Card Maker: Ellen Jarvis

AKA: CardMonkey

Blogsite: www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Cricut cartridge used: Paper Pups

Extra embellishments: Black bead for dog's nose; Hand-crafted wish list created on Microsoft Word, fussy-cut and curled. Martha Stewart holiday ribbon.

99 Days 'Til Christmas: Fancy Merry Christmas

99 Days 'Til Christmas

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis

AKA: CardMonkey

blogsite:
www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Christmas swirly letters

To make: Cut image from "Make The Cut" user gallery, using pale green cardstock. Place transfer tape over the cut image to preserve the letter placement. Lift from Cricut mat using the transfer tape. "Draw" glue on each of the letters while they are still on the transfer tape. Transfer to paper and glue letters down.

The image has the dots in between some of the letters -- very cute. I just stickled over. I adhered the swirly letters to a glitter stock and mounted it on a pre-made white card.

100 Days 'Til Christmas: Candy Cane

100 Days 'Til Christmas

Cardmaker: Ellen Jarvis

aka: "CardMonkey"

Blogsite:
http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/

Candy cane/Happy Holidays

Uses: red/green/white stacked mats

Cricut Cartridge: Joys of the Season for sentiment; Candy cane cut from User Gallery on "Make the Cut"

Candy cane wrapped in red/white baker's twine.

Blog Roll - WIN Christmas CANDY!

Ho, Ho, HO! And greetings from the North Pole!

Life in the North Pole is chilly and busy for the CardMonkey. So there is no time like the present to start the Countdown 'Til Christmas!

Just 100 days from today ... that's right, from TODAY! ... it will be Christmas!! Are you ready? Have you even started?

Well, the CardMonkey has been busy making Christmas cards to get you inspired. We will endeavor to post one Christmas Card daily until Christmas Day, and we'll offer detailed instructions on how to make these cards yourself.

Now, as you know, "Many hands make light work" especially in the North Pole, so Santa relies on many elves to get his vital work done.

Likewise, I need your help to post as many ideas for Christmas cards as are possible. In the spirit of sharing, we'll post YOUR photos here AND offer you an opportunity to win The Greatest Christmas Blog Candy in the history of CardMonkey!

That's right! We all love Christmas Candy! Here's how to enter, in just four easy-peasy steps:

1. Become a "Follower" of North Pole Cards.

2. Post a comment to any card blog posting here, indicating you're putting on your Elf Cap for the Christmas 2010 season.

3. Send a picture of your card in PDF format, along with general instructions on how to make it, to me at cardmonkey@comcast.net. Include your name and e-mail address. Credit/attribution will be given and just that easy, you're now published on the North Pole Cards blog! Cards can be any size and use any media, though papercrafting is preferred.

4. For each card you send for publication in this challenge (whether or not it is posted on the blog), you'll receive one entry into the Greatest Christmas Blog Candy random giveaway. The winner will be chosen on Christmas Day 2010. The prize will be awarded within a week of the drawing, and the winner's name (and card entry) will be posted on this blog. Odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received.

What's in it for you? The Greatest Christmas Blog Candy prize will grow as weeks progress. It already includes gift cards to craft stores and products that will make your heart sing and your crafting life easier. I will be listing the gifts in a blog-roll marked "Do Not Open Until Christmas". I'll offer some Santa's peeks every once in a while to spur you along. Come play!