Christmas, Distress Ink Techniques, Embossed Background, Faux Embossing, Stampin' Up!, Window Cards

Create Embossed Backgrounds Using Your Dies

Hello friends. It’s time to make some holiday cards. Starting things off with some super easy cards using dies to emboss backgrounds. It’s a super easy technique and produces some really cool results. You can use the embossed or debossed side as well.

For the first card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes dies (retired) to emboss the background. I followed the sandwich for wafer dies on my diecut machine (Sizzix Big Shot) and added another piece of cardstock to get a deeper impression. Play around with your sandwich and add a shim if necessary to get the desired raised effect.

I used Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass and Uncharted Mariner Distress Oxide Inks as well as Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink to color the background. Then I cut out the window using the die in the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes die set.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and adhered behind the panel.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Simon Says Stamp 6×6 Silver Glitter Cardstock and Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) using the Catherine Pooler Designs Delicate Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic Gloss Simply White Nuvo Crystal Drops and Silver Moondust Nuvo Glitter Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Tim Holtz Uncharted Mariner Distress Oxide Ink and added some silver snowflakes.

Dimensions


For the second card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons dies (retired) to emboss the background.

I used Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Uncharted Mariner, Kitsch Flamingo, and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Inks to color the background. I used the ink smooshing technique this time instead of ink blending. It created a nice watercolor effect.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Simon Says Stamp 6×6 Silver Glitter Cardstock and Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) as well as some bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Hero Arts Fancy Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink, fussycut it, and adhered to the panel.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic IVORY SEASHELL Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and added a Balmy Blue Glitter snowflake .

Dimensions


For the third card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 3-3/4 x 5” for the top panel. I also cut a piece of Simon Says Stamp 8-1/2 x 11″ Slate 100lb Cardstock, measuring 4 x 5-1/4″ to mat the top panel.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) as well as some pale and bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Hero Arts Fancy Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and adhered to the panel.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic LIQUID MERCURY Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Ink and added a light pink and balmy blue snowflake.

Dimensions


For the fourth card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes dies (retired) to emboss the background.

I ink blended the background using Tim Holtz Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Inks.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ as well as some bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Catherine Pooler Designs Delicate Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Joy to the World Paper Pumpkin Stampset (retired) directly onto the card with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic IVORY SEASHELL and Carnation Pink Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Ink and added bright pink snowflakes.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to give these cards a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.

Christmas, Stampin' Up!

Using Pattern Paper As a Focal Point

Here’s a quick way to create a focal point on your card — pattern paper and a geometric die. It’s quick and you can use minimal supplies.

For the first card, I started by cutting a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to make a card base. Then diecut a piece of Snowflake Splendor Designer Series Paper with a 2-7/8 circle die from the Stampin’ Up! Circle Layering Dies. This will be the background for my image.

I stamped the ice skating bear from the Warm & Toasty Stampset onto a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I colored him using Copics since I don’t have enough colors in my Stampin Blends. I used R20 (cheeks); R81, R83, R85 & R56 (hat and scarf); and N1, BG000 & 0 (bear). I fussycut the image out and set it aside.

Next I stamped the sentiment from the Warm & Toasty Stampset onto a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock with Stampin’ Up! Balmy Blue Ink and trimmed it down to 7/8 x 4-1/4”.

I adhered the pattern paper piece, image and sentiment strip to the card. I finished off the card by diecutting some snowflakes from the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes Die from Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock, Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper, and Melon Mambo 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from Stampin’ Up! Fireside Trimmings Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up! Melon Mambo Ink. I stamped the small polar bear from the Warm & Toasty Stampset onto a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I colored him using Copics. I used R20 (cheeks), N1, BG000 & 0 (bear). I fussycut the image out, adhered it to the bottom to the card and added some diecut snowflakes from Balmy Blue 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock.

Dimensions



Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to try these easy holiday cards using this stampset for yourself! Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email me. If you want to share you creations with me tag me on instagram @kittieslovecrafting. If you would like a Stampin’ Up! catalog, please email me as well. All current catalogs can be found on the right side of this post and the Stampin’ Up! page. All news and fun stuff happening at Stampin’ Up! are listed there!

Christmas, Christmas, Stampin' Up!

3 Cards featuring the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Splendor Suite

Need some quick last minute cards??? These pretty snowflake cards were all created using the Snowflake Splendor Suite from Stampin’ Up! and came together quickly. This suite can be found on page 37 of the new Aug-Dec Mini Catalog; it features lots of beautiful papers in shades of blues, aquas and purples.

For the first card, I started by cutting a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to make a card base. Then cut a piece of Snowflake Splendor Designer Series Paper to 4 x 5-1/4″ for the top panel which I adhered to the card base. Next I diecut a window using the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes Dies from Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper, measuring 2-7/8 x 4-9/16 and another piece from Balmy Blue 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock.

I adhered the two panels together and stamped a sentiment from Christmas Means More onto Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock with Misty Moonlight Ink. I trimmed it down, added Stampin’ Dimensionals behind the window panel, adhered the sentiment piece behind the window and the piece to the card on an angle. I diecut snowflakes from Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock and Misty Moonlight 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock using the dies in the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes Die. I finished it off by adding some Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems and some Snowflake Splendor 1/4″ Ribbon from the suite.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes Stampset with Stampin’ Up! Balmy Blue Ink and added a diecut snowflake.

Dimensions


For the second card, I started by cutting a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to make a card base. Then cut a piece of Wonder of the Season 12 x 12” Specialty Designer Series Paper to 3-1/4 x 5-1/2″ for the top panel and Snowflake Splendor Designer Series Paper to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2″and adhered them to the card base.

I stamped a sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes Stampset onto a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock with Stampin’ Up! Pacific Point Ink, fussycut it out, adhered it to a piece of Vellum Cardstock, and fussycut around that before adhering it to the card. I finished it off by adding some Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems from the suite.

I diecut snowflakes from Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock, Balmy Blue 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock and Pacific Point 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock using the dies in the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes Die set. I layered a couple of them and added Stampin’ Dimensionals to those.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes Stampset and the snowflake border with Stampin’ Up! Balmy Blue Ink and added a diecut snowflake.

Dimensions


For the third card, I started by cutting a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to make a card base. Then cut a piece of Plaid Tidings 6″ X 6″ Designer Series Paper to 3 x 5-1/2″ for the top panel and adhered it to the card base.

I stamped and diecut several snowflakes from the Wishes Stampset with Stampin’ Up! Balmy Blue Ink, Pacific Point Ink, and Old Olive Ink. I layered them and used some Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere them to the card. I stamped I stamped a sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes Stampset onto a piece of Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock with Balmy Blue Ink, fussycut it out, and adhered it to the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I finished it off by adding some Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems from the suite.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes Stampset with Pacific Point Ink and the snowflake border with Old Olive Ink.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to try these easy holiday cards using this stampset for yourself! Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email me. If you want to share you creations with me tag me on instagram @kittieslovecrafting. If you would like a Stampin’ Up! catalog, please email me as well. All current catalogs can be found on the right side of this post and the Stampin’ Up! page. All news and fun stuff happening at Stampin’ Up! are listed there!