This post and video intrigued me, as my husband and I had talked often about me making some (or all - 150?) of our annual holiday cards and this tutorial looked like it might be doable. Whether I could get all 150 done in time is questionable but I thought I could make a healthy dent in the number we would need to purchase!
So, over the last ten days, I have been tackling this project, using some randomly selected sketches from the Operation Write Home blog site, although I took some liberties with some sketches based on the supplies I had on hand (substituting ovals for circles and diamonds for squares, for example) and I used some dimensional embellishments (which are prohibited in Operation Write Home cards). Apologies if I spelled some sketch designer names wrong --- they were often hard to make out in the grey-tone print-outs I had.
Each set of cards shown below use some products in common:
- Stamps: Ink Road Stamps “Fir Real”; Personal Impressions (201J); Wiggins Stamp Art
- Papers: Whimsy Stamps “Christmas Cheer” 24 single-sided 6x6 paper pad (TWDP102); Parklane Paperie A2 card base “white” (15919608)
Additional paper scraps, various inks and embossing powders, and assorted embellishments round out the products used and I will post these under each card set.
For purposes of space, I am including gallery views which, in some instances, crop the card. Click on the card image to see the full card.
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Card set #1 used sketch #09 by Seongsook D:
- Inks: Archival “Library Green”; Versamark
- Embossing Powders: JoAnn CraftEssentials “black”
- Papers: scraps of cream and green card
- Adhesives: Ross Gel Stick; RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
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Card Set #2 used sketch #10 by Ali Manring:
- Inks: Archival “Library Green"
- Papers: scrap red card; small white tags
- Embellishments: Bliss self adhesive rhinestones “red”
- Adhesives: Ross Gel Stick; RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape: Wendy Vecchi “Perfect Card Adhesive” (62134)
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Card Set #3 used sketch #13 by Karen G:
- Stamps: Stacy’s Stamps 830-C
- Inks: Archival “Library Green”; Versamark
- Embossing Powders: Stampendous “detail white” (47788)
- Embellishments: Stampendous “Snowflake Silver” stickers (AC6195)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
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Card Set #4 used sketch #11 by Carol P
- Inks: Versamark; Snowman pen “gold”; Distress Ink “Fossilized Amber”; Distress Ink “Fossilized Amber”
- Embossing Powders: Stampendous “detail white” (47788)
- Papers: metallic gold cardstock
- Embellishments: K & Company Grand Adhesions “Christmas Cheer” (569317)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
- Tools: Marvy Corner Punch CR-S
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Card Set #5 used sketch #12 by Carol L:
- Inks: Archival “Jet Black””; Versamark
- Embossing Powders: UpTown “detail gold”
- Papers: metallic gold cardstock; scraps of cream and yellow card
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape; Wendy Vecchi “Perfect Card Adhesive” (62134)
- Tools: Marvy Corner Punch CR-S
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Card Set #6 used sketch #15 by Bev E:
- Inks: Archival “Leaf Green”
- Embossing Powders: UpTown “detail gold”
- Papers: scraps of green and cream card
- Embellishments: gold star brads
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
- Tools: Marvy Corner Punch CR-S
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Card Set #7 used set #16 by Vieve:
- Inks: Hero Arts “Moss”; Distress Marker “Forest Moss”
- Papers: scrap of cream card
- Embellishments: Paper Bliss “Swirl Holly” (39053-PE-00)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
The card on the right used the same materials except that Versamark Ink and Stampendous “detail white” embossing powder (47788) substituted for the Hero Arts and Distress Marker colors, gold metallic card substituted for the cream card, and K & Company Grand Adhesions “Christmas Cheer” (569317) substituted for the Paper Bliss "Swirl Holly" embellishment.
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Card Set #8 used sketch #14 by Shirley S
- Inks: Archival “Library Green"; Versamark; Snowman pen “gold”
- Embossing Powder: Stampendous “detail white” (47788)
- Papers: scrap green card, handmade paper rectangles
- Embellishments: gold star brads
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
For the card on the right, Archival “Vermillion” substituted for Archival "Library Green" ink and a scrap of red card substituted for green card
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Card Set #9 used sketch #08 by Shirley S:
- Inks: Archival “Library Green”; Versamark
- Embossing Powder: Stampendous “detail white” (47788)
- Papers:precut green ovals
- Embellishments: gold star brads for two
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape
A few days later, I used the same sketch for two cards which finished out the paper pad (except for a selection of 1/2" strips and a few trimmings which may come in handy in future)...
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Card Set #10 used sketch #6 by Vera S:
- Inks: Archival “ Vermillion”; Liquid Gold marker
- Papers: scraps of gold metallic and cream card
- Embellishments: K & Company Classic Metal Art “K Bailey Chipboard Flower Brads” (558649)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape; Wendy Vecchi “Perfect Card Adhesive” (62134)
~~~~~Card Set #11 used sketch #07 by Erika P:
- Inks: Archival “ Jet Black”; Versamark on card #3
- Embossing Powder: Stampendous “detail white” (47788)
- Papers: Whimsy Stamps “Christmas Cheer” 6x6 (TWDP102); Parklane Paperie A2 card base “white” (15919608)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape; Wendy Vecchi “Perfect Card Adhesive” (62134)
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Card Set #12, the final set in this paper pad transformation, used sketch #05 by Caryl P
- Stamps: Ink Road Stamps “Fir Real”; Personal Impressions (201J); Wiggins Stamp Art
- Inks: Archival “ Fern Green”
- Papers: scraps of green card
- Embellishments: Idea-ology Design Tape “Rose” (TH93354)
- Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape; Duck Easy Stick Double Stick Adhesive
Because of the patterned paper on the card in the lower right, in order to highlight the sentiment, I used a scrap of white and a mat of dark green card.
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In all, 31 cards (and one trashed because of multiple irreparable errors - i.e. stamping sentiments upside down TWICE on one of three green and gold cards in the 12th set! AAACK!) in 10 days — not too shabby, if I do say so myself.
What did I learn? Well, each set of two cards took roughly one hour to make, including time deciding which of the papers to use together. That means I have to find 60 working hours in the next two months to make my 150-card goal. Also, not all 6x6 paper pads of Christmas-themed papers will be as easy to work with as this one was; most that I have are more patterned and/or aren't as color-coordinated. I will have to pick and choose carefully and probably bring in some solid card-stock from my stash to flesh out the resources. This could slow me down a bit.
Nonetheless, I now have a stack of 6x6 Christmas themed papers beside my desk, I have replenished my supplies of adhesive and I am ready to tackle more cards…
31 down, 119 to go!