Christmas in July!

It's hot outside and I'm hot inside and longing for some relief from the heat! Here in Louisiana, the temps have already been soaring into the 90's and it's not even August yet. We had a cool front come through yesterday and it was a BEAUTIFUL day! This morning was a comfortable 67°. I feel the fall coming on...just in time for the Christmas in July video hop!

I'm participating in the first annual Christmas in July video hop organized by Monica Taylor of Taylormadecards4u. There are 14 participants in the hop sharing lots of Christmas-themed cards as well as some fabulous giveaways! I'm offering a $25 gift certificate to Club Scrap on my channel. Click HERE for a full list of hoppers and prize offerings. Be sure to watch and comment on each video for your chance to win. Leave your comments by July 31 and all prizes will be announced on August 5 on the Taylormadecards4u blog.

I’ve made a set of three Christmas cards featuring Club Scrap’s Holiday Mail card kit as well as some Retro Santa digital images from Taylormadecards4u. (All available supplies will be listed in the supplies list at the end of this post).

Card #1

Club Scrap’s monthly card kits include supplies to easily create twelve handmade greeting cards. Each kit will have a coordinating set of unmounted stamps as an optional add on. I created my own background print using one of the stamp images from the Holiday Mail stamp set. I also used some of the cutapart tags from the kit as well as a Retro Santa digital image from Taylormadecards4u.

Card #2

I kept this card fairly simple using the vintage mailbox stamp image as the focal point. The matching ribbon included in the kit made a gorgeous bow accent! I stamped the image using versamark ink and heat embossed with fine detail white embossing powder. I inked the edges of the black card stock with Club Scrap's white pigment ink and some Earth ink on the card base. I trimmed one of the cutapart letter tags to insert in the mailbox!

Card #3

This last card features a sentiment image from the kit and another Retro Santa digital image. The embossed background was created using a discontinued Tim Holtz Alterations embossing folder. The sentiment was heat embossed with fine detail white embossing powder and the dry embossed card stock was dusted with Club Scrap's white pigment ink. The baker's twine and card stock are from the Holiday Mail kit.

Click HERE to leave a comment on my video on YouTube for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Club Scrap. There are lots of other prizes to be won, so be sure to leave comments on the other videos in the hop as well. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope this inspires you to whip up some Christmas cards of your own!

SUPPLIES LIST:

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Watercooler Wednesday WWC231 "All About Occasions" Challenge

Christmas Card Throwdown : July Theme Challenge

Crafty Creations Challenge # 395 Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge # 351 Anything Goes!

Club Scrap Black and White Technique Challenge 07-2019

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Feed Him Walnuts and He Will Crack Open a Tale

The Christmas season has begun! It's cold and rainy, a perfect day to decorate for the holidays! I'll put on my favorite Christmas movies and light my Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle (it's almost gone, sniff, sniff!) and scurry around like an elf spreading Christmas magic! I have to psych myself up for this, though I enjoy it so much when I'm finished. I LOVE a little Christmas tree with my coffee in the mornings!

I really wanted to start the season off by going to see the Nutcracker ballet. Things didn't work out, so my reverie while crafting will have to do. Look how cute!



JFFRS Stamptangle Nutcracker image stamped in Black Soot Distress Ink and embossed with Ranger Ink Superfine Clear Embossing Powder. Image colored with Sharpie markers and a little sparkle was added with Diamond and Yellow Stickles. Eyes and teeth were colored with a Signo White Gel Pen. Card stock from the Club Scrap Literature collection. Tassel made from embroidery thread.

I found a great tutorial for tassels on youtube and made mine out of embroidery thread.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjYOmBJhZc]

I wanted some sheet music in the background of my photo, so I googled Nutcracker sheet music and found the Nutcracker Suite! I printed on copy paper and spritzed it with water to dampen it. I rubbed Vintage Photo Distress ink on my craft mat and spritzed with water to make lots of ink puddles. I laid the damp paper on top and patted it to spread the ink. While it was still wet, I gently tore some of the edges and then "creatively" crumpled the paper. I dried it with and heat tool and it looks like aged sheet music!

I may have to make a few more of these to give as little Christmas gifts or to add as tags on presents. So perfect for Christmas reading with a cup of cocoa!



"The nutcracker sits under the holiday tree, a guardian of childhood stories. Feed him walnuts and he will crack open a tale..." Vera Nazarian

Come join the Christmas/Winter Challenge at JFFRS for a chance to win a JFFRS gift certificate! Details here!



 

 

 

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I Shook My Family Tree and a Bunch of Nuts Fell Out!

I had a great "crafternoon"on Friday with these crazies!



We made Christmas slime...



Shrinky dink ornaments...



[caption id="attachment_4163" align="alignnone" width="533"] Millie wanted a "good picture" of hers before we shrunk it![/caption]

(Even Steph got in on the action!)



And snowmen tealight ornaments and Christmas tags! Whew!



Ellie, Millie and Haylan  made a tutorial for the snowmen tealights! One take, these girls are pros!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS3zlx9TKm0]

They even did a little facepainting...

[gallery ids="4178,4176,4177,4174,4175" type="square" columns="2"]

Of course I had to make something too!

[caption id="attachment_4188" align="alignnone" width="533"] JFFRS Acorn stamp embossed with copper foil embossing powder and painted with Perfect Pearls mixed with water. Sentiment printed in Photoshop Elements. Club Scrap card stocks.[/caption]



They crafted for almost 7 hours, with breaks for BJ's Pizza, Shirley Temples, reindeer chow and taking turns in Uncle Chris' massage chair! It was a fun ending to a Happy Thanksgiving. Lots is good food and family. I love my people!

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.a.chapman/posts/1241929285869814

Do more of what makes you happy!



Challenges entered:

Addicted to Stamps #221 Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Challenge # 339 Always Anything Goes

Just Add Ink #338 Inspiration

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