Hope, Joy, Love

The theme for Merry Monday Christmas Challenge Blog's Challenge #171 is "Sentiment in the Spotlight." I created this card with that in mind.

I started by embossing a 4x5.25" panel of white cardstock with the "Snowflake Swirl" embossing folder by Darice. I also die cut the hope, joy, & love words from a matte silver cardstock, using the "Seasonal Sentiments" dies by WPlus9. I punched the snowflakes using an old EK Success punch, and glued them to the center of the "o" in each word.

I cut a piece of vellum to 4x5.25". To determine placement of my stamped greeting portion, after placing the vellum in my MISTI, I laid the die cut words on it and positioned my stamps, from WPlus9's "Pretty Patches: Christmas" set. I picked them up with the door of my MISTI, and stamped them on the vellum using Ranger Archival Watering Can ink. This was actually my second attempt at this panel. The first time I embossed the stamped words with Ranger Silver embossing powder. But the embossing apparently chipped off in a few places, for some unknown-to-me reason. So I decided on the second try just to stamp with the Watering Can ink. It gives it a subtle look that goes with the rest of the card, but is still legible (at least in real life!). I layered the vellum over the embossed cardstock panel, taped it in place on 2 sides temporarily, then stitched around the panel with my sewing machine & some silver thread. (I did remove the tape when I stitched those 2 sides.)

To complete the card, I ran my die cut words through my Xyron Sticker Maker, and adhered them in place on the vellum. Then I cut a piece of craft (fun) foam to slightly smaller than the panel, and adhered it to the back with double-sided tape. I then mounted my panel on a white A2 card base. This will go in my stash of holiday cards to send out this year.

I'm also entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge: "Die Crazy."