Papertrey Ink September Release Countdown Day 1

Hello friends and welcome to day 1 of the Papertrey Ink September release countdown! Today I'll be sharing my first Christmas cards of the year! I know a lot of you started with Christmas in July, but not me, so here we are! ha ha! I'm really excited about this month's release and I hope you are, too! 

I'm always a sucker for anything 'Twas the Night Before Christmas related, so this new suite of products is just right up my alley! This card features the new Merry Motifs Hot Foil Plate. I cut an A2 panel of Pure Poppy cardstock and then added some Scarlet Jewel ink around the edges. Once that was done, I did the hot foiling using champagne foil; I just love how it turned out! This is definitely going to be a go-to plate, and not just for Christmas; I can already see a spooky Halloween card made with it!

I rounded the corners on the right hand side using a corner rounder punch. I also die cut the largest layer included in the Love to Layer: Garnished Edges Die from Pure Poppy ink and added Scarlet Jewel ink around the edges. I layered it in the middle of the background using foam squares.

Speaking of rounded corners; I'm sure you all notice that I like to do that on quite of few of my cards......WELL.....this release includes three sets of nesting dies with rounded corners! I'm so excited and you can see the new Rounded Rectangles: Pierced Die that I used as the anchor for the sentiment. I die cut it once from Ocean Tides cardstock and then again from Sweet Blush, but only part of it. I wanted to create the illusion of a small book, so the blush is the spine. I used one of the images from the Merry Motifs Stamp Set using Pale Peony ink.

The sentiment, which is also from the Merry Motifs Stamp Set, is heat embossed in gold onto Ocean Tides cardstock and then cut using the coordinating Merry Motifs Die. I also heat embossed some of the other little detail images included in the 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Stamp Set to accent above and below the sentiment.

I die cut some holly and berries from white cardstock using the Into the Blooms: Holly Die. I colored the berries using Pure Poppy and Scarlet Jewel ink. the little oval accents were colored  using the brush tip of a brown marker and then adhered with liquid glue. I added some highlights with a white gel pen. I used the Banner Builder: Basics Die and some small scraps of Fairy Tale Christmas Paper Collection to add to the top and bottom of the sentiment panel.

I added some gems to the flourish images and in each corner on the foiling. A few sequins and glitter finish off the card!

I'm continuing with the Night Before Christmas theme with this next card as well! This card features the new Storybook Scroll Die and the new 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Stamp and Die. I pulled in some older favorites to bring this card to life!

To begin, I die cut the Storybook Scroll from Rustic Cream cardstock and then added some antique linen and vintage photo distress oxide ink around the edges using finger sponge daubers. I added the detail portions using foam squares to add dimension. I also added some vintage photo ink splatter as well.

The sentiment is stamped in black on Rustic White cardstock and then cut using the coordinating die. I added some antique linen ink around the edges to help it blend with the scroll. I also cut some of the detail pieces to add above the sentiment and below the house and they are stamped with Simply Chartreuse and Ripe Avocado inks.

I wanted to bring the "all through the house" portion of the story into the card design so I cut a house included in the Bring Home the Holidays Die from Pure Poppy cardstock. I also cut a little heart that is included in the Larger Than Life: Home Die using Spring Moss cardstock. I gave it a quick coat of Glossy Accents for some additional detail and shine.

The snowflakes are also from the Bring Home the Holidays Die (linked above) and the berries and foliage are from the Tag Creations: Modern Gift Die. I colored them with Simply Chartreuse and Ripe Avocado Ink and Pure Poppy and Scarlet Jewel for the berries. I added some white gel pen and brown marker for added detail.

I cut an A2 panel of Blueberry Sky cardstock and then foiled it using the Merry Motifs Hot Foil Plate and champagne foil. I trimmed it down slightly and layered it onto an A2 panel of Enchanted Evening cardstock. The entire background is glued to a top-folding A2 card base using liquid glue. I added some glitter to the berries, foliage, and snowflakes making sure not to get any on the Glossy Accents on the heart! 

This would be such a cute sentiment to use with stocking stamps/dies or with a cute vintage Santa image!

My third project using the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" theme is a book gift card holder using the previously released Go-To Gift Card Holder: Book Die. This set was created to coordinate with this collection of dies and I just love how this project turned out! 

I seem to have a hard time photographing 3-D projects so I thought this collage photo might be nice so you can see everything all at once and hopefully it will make sense as I describe the process.

This project features the Merry Motifs stamp set which I used for the cover of the book along with some other previously released dies. To begin, I die cut the cover and the spine using the Go-To Gift Card Holder: Book Die from Pinefeather and Pure Poppy cardstock I heat embossed the sentiment and the pretty corner details in gold and then used the coordinating Merry Motifs Die to cut them out. I also cut the middle size included in the Love to Layer: Elegant Points Die from Pure Poppy cardstock and then added Scarlet Jewel ink around the edges.

I used the Go-To Gift Card Holder: Pockets Die to create some pockets to hold a small card and a gift card. I chose a packet of pattern paper to use from Echo Park: I Love Christmas to keep the project cohesive. I used two different prints for the two different pockets and for the polka dots for the inside.

I tucked a gift card inside, but you could just fill it with a small gift or treats rather than a gift card.

Of  course I had to continue with the theme and created a small card with the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" stamped on the cover with the greenery and berries included in the set.

On the spine, I added another one of the sentiments included in the Merry Motifs stamp set along with one of the other images stamped in pigment gold ink. 

I chose to use Antique Gold cardstock for the "pages" which were die cut using the Go-To Gift Card Holder: Book Box Die. Also, because of the book card on the inside of the cover, it wasn't closing properly, so I just simply cut a strip of Pinefeather cardstock and secured it under the book portion, scored it to the correct dimensions so it can slip right under the front details and it keeps it closed perfectly, but the recipient can access it and close it as many times as needed!

I gussied up the cover even more with some Holly leaves and berries.

You can see the closure strip a little bit better here and how it slips right under the Elegant Points die cut so easily.

As I mentioned earlier, this is the third of three projects using this set of products. My last project features the new Love to Layer: Trees Die.

My final project for today features the new Love to Layer: Christmas Tree Die and This is Big Sentiments: Happy Holidays Stamp/Die!

This card also features a new Cover Plate; this is one of those that will work for Christmas, but all winter long as well! It is called Cover Plate: Stitched Snowflakes and I used it on a panel of Tropical Teal cardstock measuring 4 by 5 1/4 inches. I added some Tropical Teal and Pinefeather ink around the edges.

The tree is cut from Pinefeather carddstock and then I added the white plaid pattern using the new Love to Layer: Christmas Tree Stencil Collection and a small blender brush for precision with Fresh Snow ink.

This particular Love to Layer: Christmas Tree Die comes with so many fun options to trim the tree AND it comes with a smaller tree as well so you can have options. I chose to keep it simple and just add the stencils and then have some fun with foliage and berries!

I used the poinsettias, foliage and berries included in the Tag Creations: Modern Gift Die (linked on project two).

The large Happy Holidays sentiment is cut using the This is Big Sentiments: Happy Holidays Die and then stamped with Tropical Teal and Pinefeather ink for an ombre look using the This is Big Sentiments: Happy Holidays Stamp Set. The companion sentiment is also from the set and is heat embossed in gold on a strip of Tropical Teal cardstock and then trimmed to size.

I die cut the star and the centers of the poinsettias from gold specialty cardstock for that holiday shine! I layered the entire background onto a top-folding A2 white card base using foam squares for dimension! This concludes the projects I've created for day 2, but join me again tomorrow for even more holiday inspiration! Thanks for fluttering by!