Merriest Wishes

In celebration of World Card Making Day, which was on October 4 this year, a2z Scrapbooking has been having 3 week-long challenges on their blog. One of those was an inspiration challenge. They posted a photo collage as basic inspiration, and challenged card makers to create a project using aqua, white, & silver, and anything else in the photo that inspired them. This is another of my cards for that challenge. (You can see the first one I made here.)

I based my design on a sketch provided by My Favorite Things, to go with their "Blueprints 13" die set. The hardest part for me with this card--and what took the most time--was trying to decide what papers to use. I wanted something elegant, but not too over-the-top glittery. I ended up using only one patterned paper, 2 metallic cardstock pieces, and a piece of white cardstock, all from my scrap stash.

I die cut a piece of blue shimmer cardstock, using the largest die in the set, to use as my background. I cut the banners from the patterned paper and white cardstock. After die cutting, I dry embossed the white banner with the "A2 Tiny Polka Dot" embossing folder by The Paper Studio, just to give it some added interest. I also die cut a snowflake from silver mirror cardstock using a die from Spellbinders' "2013 Snowflake Pendant" set. I layered that on a circle that I'd cut from the blue shimmer piece with another of the MFT "Blueprints 13" dies, and finally matted that with yet another silver die cut piece.

I glued the banners onto the background (basically covering the hole left when I die cut the circle piece). I ran the snowflake through my Xyron Sticker Maker, to apply adhesive to the back. I adhered that to the blue circle, and that to the silver circular piece. Then I glued that to the patterned paper banner.

I stamped the greeting from this Hero Arts set onto a piece of white cardstock, using Versamark ink. I heat embossed it with Ranger Silver Embossing Tinsel, and cut the panel to size. I rounded the 4 corners with my 1/4" We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, and inked the edges with a Memento Teal Zeal ink pad.

I wrapped a piece of sheer white ribbon around the card front. I made a "faux bow" using the same ribbon, following instructions in this YouTube video (the most helpful bow-making video for card makers I've found yet). Finally, I glued the greeting panel above the ribbon and adhered the entire panel to a white A2 card base.

Here is a close-up photo of the detail & shine on this card:

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Hero Arts Holiday Challenge: "Mad About Metallics"
Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: "Falling in Love With..." (I'm finally falling in love with the idea of making this year's holiday cards!)