Joyful Christmas

I fell in love with this stamp set from the Stamp Simply Ribbon Store when I first saw it. I was so inspired by the designers' cards, that I was actually convinced that I could pull off making my own Christmas cards for 2020. That was way back in September when the illusion of having plenty of time made my goal seem like a realistic possibility. Fast forward to December, after which I had changed my mind at least half a dozen times, and there I was, stamping, embossing and coloring like there was no tomorrow. This was my first attempt at making a significant number of cards (50). It took way longer than I anticipated, but I was happy with the results. Still love the stamp set bundle. Motivated to do it again for 2021....promising myself I will start much early, though!

Once I decided on the design of my card and arranged all the pieces, the blank background was too boring for me. That's where a little bit of ink through a stencil added just the right amount of interest and color.  Since the stamp set contains only two ornaments and one string & one bow, the embossing took several iterations. The gold embossing really adds a classy look, so the effort was well worth it. Next, I had to color all of those tiny little diamonds....it took about 10 minutes per card to fill them all in! My Prismacolor colored pencils finally got a workout, and they didn't disappoint. Matted the panels on gold foil cardstock, which added another elegant touch. TFL!

Supplies Used: 

Stamps: Stamp Simply: Christmas Joy, Woodware: Sketchy Pine Branch

Inks: Distress: Mowed Lawn, Broken China; VersaMark; Stampin' Up: Real Red

Stencil: Picket Fence Studios: Points of Interest

Other: Ranger: Gold Embossing Powder, Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss: Red Berry