Hello and welcome, sweet friends! I'm so thrilled to be here today sharing a few projects using products being featured for day 1 of the Papertrey Ink October release countdown! It's been so fun to dive into Christmas crafting and creating, especially knowing these cards will be delivered to family and friends in a little over a month! While I love autumn, I can't help but feel excited for the upcoming Christmas season; there's so much to love and celebrate! I've been preparing my heart for all of the tender feelings that Christmas brings as well, and I hope you get a chance to do the same...it's never too early for that!
I have always loved Christmas bells, so when I saw this beautiful new Build-a-Bell Die/Stencil, it stole my heart! I couldn't wait to get started creating with this beautiful new set. To begin, I die cut all of the pieces for the main bell; one bottom piece and three top pieces. I knew I was going to be using some kind of paste over the top with the stencils, so I wanted it thick so it wouldn't warp. For the red bell, I cut it from Pure Poppy cardstock and added Scarlet Jewel ink around the edges. I glued the three top pieces together and then added the design with the stencils. I thought I had Nuvo paste, but it was dried out since I don't use it regularly enough, so I pulled out the matte texture paste and then poured Rocky Candy glitter over the top.
I repeated the same process for the Coastal Blue bell, but switched stencil designs so each one would have a different pattern. I set the bells aside to allow the paste to dry and got to work on the flowers, leaves, and berries.
I die cut them from white cardstock and then colored them with dye inks. Once the blending was done, I gave everything a spritz of Hickory Smoke Distress Spritz. I used a foam mat and the end of a stylus to shape the poinsettias and then glued them together.
For the background, I foiled a panel of Sweet Blush cardstock using the Merry Motifs Hot Foil Plate with champagne foil. I trimmed it down and then mounted it onto an A2 panel of Coastal Blue cardstock using liquid glue. I added a mat to the middle using the new Love to Layer: Fancy That Die (this has gotten a workout) cut from white cardstock and layered using foam squares. From there, I added the assembled bells (silver cardstock for the "ringer" in the middle) and then had fun adding the poinsettias, foliage, and berries.
The bow is cut from Sweet Blush cardstock and then assembled using liquid glue and foam squares for dimension. The sentiment, which is from the Merry Motifs Stamp Set, is heat embossed in gold, and then cut using the Merry Motifs Die. This sentiment gave this card the perfect finishing touch I was hoping for! The entire background is mounted onto a top-folding A2 card base using liquid glue. I'm pleased that I have been adding sentiments to the inside of all of my cards, too! I always regret not doing it when I make the card, especially when it comes time to write them out!
My next card features the new Into the Blooms: Wagon Wheel! I had so much fun creating this card, so let's dive into the process! To begin, I die cut the wheel from white woodgrain cardstock and then added Pure Poppy and Scarlet Jewel ink. I glued the two pieces together with liquid glue and set it aside to dry.
Next, I die cut all of the berries and leaves from white cardstock and colored them with dye inks and blender brushes. The bow is cut from Coastal Blue cardstock and then assembled with liquid glue and foam squares to give it realistic dimension.
The background was created using the Fresh Greens Hot Foil Plate on Ocean Tides cardstock and champagne foil. I trimmed it down and mounted it to a top-folding A2 white card base with liquid glue.
I used the new Love to Layer: Fancy That die for the mat and then arranged the wagon wheel and accents to decorate it.
The sentiment, which is from the Winter Globes Sentiments Mini Stamp Set, is stamped in Walnut Stain Distress Oxide ink onto Vintage Cream cardstock. I cut it using the Hold That Thought Die; I really love the rustic feel it adds to the country-Christmas design!
I had so much fun creating these projects to share with you today and I hope you enjoy them as well! Join me tomorrow for even more beautiful holiday inspiration for day 2 of the countdown! Thanks for fluttering by!



