Family Christmas Card

I have been playing around with Christmas card ideas for months now.  I have shared several with you here on my blog but had not yet decided on a design for our family card this year.  I sat down yesterday and took out the new Stitched Stockings stamp set and the coordinating Stocking Builder Punch from the Holiday Mini catalog.  These are now available for you to order.  As I sat there looking at them, the inspiration bug bit me and off I went to create the card I will share with you today.

 

Okay so maybe it is a little predictable with the fireplace but I really like it.  This photo was taken without a flash.  Let me show you the one with the flash!!

 

Just look at that shine!!!  To make my stockings, I would first ink the stamp with VersaMark ink and then with the color I was using, either Real Red or Garden Green.  Then I added either red tinsel or green tinsel embossing powder depending on the ink color and heat embossed it.  I then punched them out with the Stocking Builder punch.  I am sure you can also see the shine on the background.  Before attaching the fireplace, I spritz the black card stock with frosted white spray.  I made my spray using a small spray bottle with alcohol in it to which I added a few drops of the Frosted White paint to and shook it up.  As for the fireplace itself, I made that all on my own.  I used Basic Gray card stock and basically cut it to have a mantle and an opening for the fire.  I placed Basic Black card stock behind the gray to make the interior of the fireplace.  I used my trusty ruler and added the lines for the bricks.  I then sponged Basic Gray ink onto the bricks to add a distressed look.  I then used the Jewelry Tag punch and made four tags to go into the stockings.  I wrote out names on them to personalize the card.  Not hard at all.  

 

Here is a close up of the fire and logs.  For the logs, I punched out large ovals from Soft Suede and then trimmed them down to make the logs.  I sponged Soft Suede ink onto them to distress them.   The flames were made using the Blossoms Petal Builder Punch.  I used 2 different size petals, taller ones in the back.  I sponged the edges of each one with Tangerine Tango ink then glued then together.  I thought it was pretty creative of me to do this.  Sorry.  I don't mean to brag but sometimes when my ideas work, I am just as surprised as anyone else.  

 

For the inside greeting, I left my SU! stamps and used one for Stampabilities.  I have had this one a while and just like the saying.  I stamped it on Whisper White with VersaMark ink and then sprinkled some red tinsel embossing powder on a little more than half and green tinsel on the rest.  I heat embossed it so it would shine like the outside.  I then alternated sponging Real Red and Garden Green ink.  

I think this will definitely be out family card.  I love the overall look and had so much fun making it.  What does your family card look like?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  That's it for today.  Have a wonderful holiday weekend and I will see you Tuesday.