I’ll admit it—it’s not always easy to switch gears and start making Christmas cards in July, but Spellbinders July All-Clubs Crate makes it easier. It’s chock full of holiday cheer, starting with Sweater Weather Friend, the Stitching Die of the Month! Clubs are open to new subscribers starting today!
So, while everyone else is thinking about sunshine and BBQs, card makers are gearing up for the holidays with reindeer, Christmas lights, and cozy sweaters. Starting Christmas cards early makes sense, and once I sat down to create, I found myself getting into the holiday spirit much faster than I expected.
Sweater Weather, Anyone?
I think my favorite Spellbinders club this month has to be the Stitching Club, Sweater Weather Friend. This adorable sweater-wearing reindeer completely stole my heart! From his cozy knit sweater to the tangle of colorful Christmas lights wrapped around his antlers, he’s packed with personality and so much fun to stitch.
I began by die-cutting the pieces and decided to go with traditional Christmas colors of red & green for the sweater and scarf. I cut the sweater from Rain Forest ColorWheel Cardstock and did the stitching with DMC Embroidery Floss #986. The scarf was cut from Pomegranate and was stitched with a pink floss, #957. Once the stitching was done (and it goes fast!), I assembled the reindeer.
Gorgeous Festive Forest
Next, I chose a Blush panel for my background and foiled it with the Press & Foil of the Month, Festive Forest. I used pastel pink foil, and the result was perfect! I enjoy using my Glimmer Hot Foil Machine and the end results are always stunning!
When the foiling was done, I cut it with the largest die from Playful Stitched Panels, which gave it a playful, whimsical look complete with double stitching lines. I layered this onto an A2 sized panel of Pomegranate ColorWheel Cardstock, giving the foiled panel a subtle frame.
Once again, I reached for the Festive Forest Press & Foil, this time using the word dies with the BetterPress Letter Press System and some black ink. I LOVE that the Press & Foil products work with both systems!! Another bonus is that all three sentiments in this set are cut out with one die! Such a time saver! After I had the sentiment pressed and die-cut, I added some foam tape to the back and placed it at the bottom of the card front.
Finally, I was ready to place the reindeer onto the card, and I tucked the bottom of his sweater under the raised sentiment. The last addition was three red snowflakes which were cut using dies from Snow Much Fun, the Small Die of the Month.
Design Tip:
When adding accessories such as sequins, rhinestones, snowflakes and so on, use an odd number and arrange them around your card in a triangular pattern. This draws your eye around the card for a pleasing effect. Notice the red snowflakes are arranged in this fashion. And I’ll admit, this is probably the first time ever, that I’ve made red snowflakes! But it worked for this card. 🙂
Are You Ready for Sweater Weather?
If you’re feeling like it’s too early to start your Christmas cards, consider this your gentle nudge. Starting now means less stress later-and your future self will thank you! If you grab the All-Clubs Crate, you’ll have a bunch of products that work well together!
Another great option for starting those Christmas cards in July can be found in my previous post, Merry Moments Kit.
Until next time~
Krista
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