Christmas card using Lovely as a Tree

What a beautiful day here in Buckingham! The view from my window this morning was very Christmassy - our little back garden, the road outside and the field at the bottom of it were all blanketed with snow. With inspiration like that it's easy to make Christmas cards!

The card I'm showing you today took longer to make than my usual cards (I am a believer in quick, clean and simple to fit around my busy life!) but sometimes it's nice to get immersed in crafting and let the chores slide...

The card uses Stampin' Up's good quality vellum - it's like very thick tracing paper and I love its misty look and the way it looks when it's torn. Have you seen the little berry branch tucked into the ribbon? I love this branch so much that I do actually cut it out with scissors! I think it's worth it (oh - I think I can feel an advertising campaign coming on!) By the way, if you're looking for a good pair of scissors for cutting out, look no further than these; they're really sharp and come with a guard for when you're not using them (to avoid accidents and also to protect them from getting blunt), but they're not too small to use for straight lines. I love mine for paper cutting and and also have another pair which I keep for cutting ribbon only - that keeps them really sharp so that my ribbon doesn't fray. The paper snips are £7.95, which is an absolute bargain in my opinion.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a piece of Bashful Blue card stock 11cm wide and 8cm high. Sponge the edges with Whisper White craft ink.
• Cut a piece of vellum 14cm wide and 8cm high. Make a nick in the right-hand side of the vellum about 2cm up and tear towards the top left-hand corner. Fold the torn vellum around the Bashful Blue panel, using a bone folder for a nice, crisp edge.
• Open out the vellum and stamp a fir tree design onto it using Whisper White craft ink. Heat emboss the trees using white embossing powder. Fold back around the Bashful Blue panel and secure with tape at the back.
• Stamp a sentiment in Real Red ink on the corner of Bashful Blue that shows. Use a stamp-a-majig for accurate positioning.
• Tie ribbon around the bottom of the tree design and tie in a flat knot. Mount the panel onto a piece of Marina Mist card stock cut 11.5cm wide and 8.5cm high. Attach this to a Whisper White card blank.
• Colour the winter berry branch with Old Olive and Real Red markers and stamp onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock. Cut out carefully using sharp paper snips and tuck under the knot of the ribbon, securing with a touch of glue.

Supplies
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Autumn Days, Contemp Christmas (sentiment)
Ink: Real Red, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock:L Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, vellum
Other: Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, White embossing powder, markers

I've sent my children off to school today in wellies, hats and gloves and with sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks and full of energy. Personally I prefer to be indoors, enjoying a cup of something hot, watching the sun glistening on the snow from the warmth of my home!

Thanks for dropping in today. Have a lovely day, wherever you are.