Wednesday 9 May 2012

Stripes and Vintage Christmas Card

Afternoon All,

I don't know about where you are, but here in Ayr we are enjoying some sunshine. I've just been sitting out in the garden enjoying a few rays ... can't take too much of the sun but do need to top up my supplies of vitamin D :)

It's lovely to see the plants starting to bloom too - we have some petunias in flower, African marigolds, wallflowers and geraniums, and the newly planted climbers are romping away so I have high hopes for a pretty wall of flowers in the summer.

On to the card ... this is the one that can be seen unfinished in the previous WOYWW post.


It was made in response to Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #71. Hazel has asked for us to include stripes in our projects this week.

I've gone for a vintage look by choosing some gorgeous striped DP from Graphic45 ... the Christmas Emporium collection ... love the muted creams and browns ... and I've teamed it up with a stunning lace/velvet trim from Anna Griffin. You can just about see that there's some script stamped down the left side of the paper.

The greeting stamp on the label was part of a candy win from Jo of Jozart - thanks Jo!  And another thanks goes to my friend Marie-Louise for the intricately cut gold die-cut. Marie-Louise makes stunning braided ribbon embellishments for her cards. I've used the die-cut as a frame for another piece of Graphic45 from the same collection ...  a leftover snippet which conveniently had the greeting on it.

The wrinkled seam binding and the gems add a touch of colour so that the card wouldn't be too brown :)


Materials used for the card:

  • A 5½" square card in cream for the base
  • Graphic45 Christmas Emporium 8"x8" paper pad - stripe design, topper and label
  • Snippets of paper with a script design - sorry, makers name, etc., long forgotten :(
  • Die-cut in gold mirri - a gift from M-L and most probably from a Spellbinder die
  • Stamps - Stampendous Holiday Messages; Inkylicious Simply Script; Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad
  • Lace/velvet ribbon trim - Anna Griffin
  • Red and Green seam binding - Ribbon Carousel
  • Anita's red gemstones and Meiflower gold cord


The inside and back are just decorated with narrow strips of the DP leftover from the front.


Yes, the entire card was made from stash already squirrelled away in my craft room! I'm ashamed to say the Graphic45 is treated like gold, the royalty of papers ... sad, isn't it? However, I did use up some snippets which merits a visit to Di's playground at: Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge - 19 for the second time this week.

This morning the EM has only had me scrabbling up a stepladder to grope around the attic  - hate stepladders and hate attics ... there could be spiders lurking up there in the dark hinterlands of the unexplored ... to get the suitcases down! He's well into planning mode now ... just checking that there was room in the car for all our luggage ... a dress rehearsal so to speak ... the big countdown has begun. To say he is brimming with anticipation would be an understatement ... as Dwight D Eisenhower said, it's all in the planning :))

Okay, enough of that, I'm off to check in with a few more of my WOYWW buddies ... I've a bit of catching up to do.

Take care all, and happy crafting,










21 comments:

Karen said...

WOW Elizabeth, I saw this on your earlier WOYWW post when you were in the process of making it and it looked good then, but now you have finished it, its really stunning, absolutely gorgeous :)

Hugs, Karen xx

Catie Cuddles said...

Beautiful card. Stunning in fact! Well done!

Hettie said...

Beautiful card there Elizabeth, glad I could see it being late today. I know what you mean about keeping Graphic 45 for best. I do the same and with my MME papers too!

Hazel said...

Fabulous vintage card, Elizabeth - lovely to see you making a Christmas card - thanks for joining in my CHNC challenge 71 - hope to see you again soon. x

Di said...

Fantastic card - and have fun wherever you're off to. Just check that no spiders hitch a ride :) Di xx

Unknown said...

this is stunning Elizabeth - as a sucker for Christmas projects you caught my eye immediately :0)

Marie-Louise said...

Fantastic Elizabeth - you have such wonderful ideas.

Neesie said...

Sun shining in Scotland Elizabeth...are you sure??? lol
I've lived just outside Aberdeen so I know these things! ;D
You're card is fantastic...so festive and makes me tingle just thinking about Christmas.
Have a great crafty week and thanks for letting my take a peek.
Happy WOYWW ~ Neesie #45

HeARTworks said...

Sure is a fancy card! Happy crafting! :^) patsy

Jackie said...

Oh my, the finished card is wonderful, very classy :o)
Jackie xx

Jules said...

Hi Elizabeth

A beautiful vintage Christmas card .. .. loving that die very much!!!

I saw your granny square stash in a previous post .. .. gosh you are doing really well with those.

Hope all is good with you and hubby.

Love Jules xx

coops said...

so stunning elizabeth.the vintage design is really gorgeous :D

xx coops xx

RosA said...

That is a stunningly beautiful Christmas card! Wish I was on your Christmas card list!
Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm a bit late, as usual. I might do a little book review in the next day or two for that teeny tiny card book. It's quite good! (the book, that is, not the review I haven't yet written.)

debby4000 said...

Love your gorgeous Christmas Card Elizabeth
luv
Debby

Craftychris said...

Fabulous card! Dare I say you have made me feel Christmassy!! xx

Sharne Davies said...

i was up in AYR this last weekend - dined out in the Tree House with some friends who live there. I very nearly messaged you to meet up for a coffee. It was sunny over the weekend as well so i can vouch for you. Fab card by the way. XX Sharne (fresh as a Daisy)

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

That really is a lovely card, and to make it from snippets is even better. Glad you are getting some sunshine up there. Can you send some down here please, we are rotting in the damp. thank you for your visit and kind comment. Get those poppy stamps out and use them with Promarkers (or similar). They are so dramatic, but clean and fresh. Have fun. xx Maggie

RosA said...

Hi Elizabeth, I'm back again. I did a little review of that book on my desk, if you would like to have a look at it.

Sarn said...

Absolutely GORGEOUS stripey card for the challenge.

Glad no spiders came along and frightened you in the attic!

Top marks to the EM for planning!

Hugs
Sarn xxx

RosA said...

Hi Elizabeth, I'm so pleased my book review was useful! I do think you will enjoy this book. It is not a "heavy" technical book, but the projects are creative, and easy to follow, I think, (it's all rather subjective, of course). Let me know what you think when it arrives. We just enjoyed a beautiful balmy day for the end of autumn here. All the liquidambers in the street are dropping their leaves by the millions. Unfortunately, as we have not had a real cold snap, the leaves are a nondescript yellow instead of the usual bright red. Can't complain, as soon as they finish dropping, we will get some winter sun through the windows. Have a nice weekend.

Mrs A. said...

Very regal looking card. Love the added paper on the back and inside. Hugs Mrs A. Been pouring with rain here all day. I hate it when the raindrops go down the neck of your rain mack. Off to wipe the swing seats down again!!1
Hugs Mrs A.