Catching Up a Bit...

Well, by my conspicuous absence for the past week, you can see that crafting has slowed down quite a bit in the Korner lately. :)  I will most likely be posting only once a week until after the first of the year.

Truth be told, paper crafting normally slows down a little during December, but last year wasn't as obvious because I had prepared several projects in advance to post on the blog. But not this year, so you're seeing the results of that now. In fact, I've totally slowed down just about everything this year in an effort to enjoy the Christmas season to the max, and not spend so much of it under pressure to get things "made in time" or finished for a holiday deadline. And I can tell you now that it's really enjoyable!  I've always thought of myself as the type of person who works best under the stress of a deadline, but I'm finding out that's not always true anymore.  LOL

However, all crafty play hasn't stopped, and I do have a couple projects to share with you this week.  One is the shadowbox baby card I talked about a couple posts back...and the second, a trio of Christmas cards.

By the reactions I got from the recipient, this baby card was a hit.  And that made me happy, because I liked it so much, too!  (The "a" on the card represents the baby's first name...and his mom's first name...so it was a perfect embellishment for the mom-to-be's card, don't you think? :) )

Baby shower cards are fun, because even though the gifts may be for a little boy, the fact that the card's for Mom means you can throw in some feminine embellishments...so my favorite, a flower cluster, could be adapted for one of the corners...with the addition of the large cardstock letter...

The banner was stamped, inked, and glued only at the left end and just to the right of the center...the dimension really worked well in the lower left corner opposite the flower cluster...

Another change to the aperture (cutout) shape...this time a large scalloped circle...

Dark red gems dress up the twine swags, with a little banner with rub-on letters spelling out "baby boy"...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  My Minds Eye Tres Jolie "C'est La Vie";  Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl collection

Alpha Rub-ons:  My Minds Eye and 7Gypsies      Sentiment stamp:  Hero Arts

Vintage collage elements:  vintageimages.org (florals);  pjhdesignsoneofakind.blogspot.com (mother & child image)

Dies:  Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Circles Small; My Favorite Things Royal Leaves; Memory Box Elegant Scrollwork

Punch:  Martha Stewart Medium Branch      Paper flowers:  Prima and Wild Orchid Crafts

Crystal gems:  Creative Imaginations     Bronze pearls:  Queen & Co. 

Miscellaneous: clear coarse glitter, cotton lace scrap; cheesecloth

This trio of holiday wreath cards was fun to make...trying to make them the same, but different.  There's lots of white-on-white, with only the wreaths and fir branches to break that up.  I was hoping for a sunny day to photograph them, but it wasn't going to happen, although I now understand the sun might be back tomorrow.  I had to settle for my trusty "sunlight" indoor lamps...not my favorite way to photograph white cards. The wreaths are made with punched branches, leaves, and flowers on a circle of cardstock.

This is the "medium" sized wreath - the diameter is approximately 2-3/4"...

Supplies:

Dies: Spellbinders Labels 22 (for aperture shape); Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags Two (sentiment)

Sizzix Diamond embossing folder      Sentiment stamp: Inkadinkado

Punches: Martha Stewart Medium Branch; Punch Bunch Ash Leaf; Martha Stewart 3-in-1 Hydrangea  (wreath)

Miscellaneous: foam tape, ribbon, Golden Rod Stickles

The wreath on this card is the largest of the three...the finished diameter is approximately 3-1/2"...

Supplies:

Dies: Spellbinders Labels 22 (aperture shape)      Sizzix Diamond embossing folder

Punches: Martha Stewart Medium Branch; Punch Bunch Ash Leaf; Martha Stewart 3-in-1 Hydrangea (wreath)

Pearls: Recollections      Miscellaneous: ribbon, foam tape, Golden Rod Stickles

I changed things up just a little on this card.  After embossing the front piece with the woodgrain texture, I cut it into strips, distressed the long edges, and adhered them to the card front, using foam tape to adhere every other "plank" to provide a little more dimension...

Supplies:

Tim Holtz Woodgrain Texture Fade embossing folder

Punches: Martha Stewart Medium Branch; Martha Stewart 3-in-1 Hydrangea (wreath and pine spray)

Glitter dots: Pebbles      Maya Road chipboard window and flower box

Miscellaneous: ribbon, foam tape, Tonic edge distresser, Golden Rod Stickles

Thanks so much for visiting today! I hope you're having a wonderful week, and that you, too, are able to find time for some joyful moments in this busy holiday season.