Clean & Simple

 The last challenge of the year for Art Impressions is "Clean and Simple".  Seems I'm always trying to add something to my cards to "spoof" them up, but this challenge is letting me keep it simple, so no adding bling and embellishments, etc.  I used the Art Impressions Gingerbread Cubbies and the new Joyful Snowman Set.

First I stamped the sentiment from the Joyful Snowman set onto a piece of white cardstock and cut it with a stitched circle die.  Then I cut another circle die just a tad bigger with red cardstock to make the frame.  I temporarily placed the white circle die cut in the center of a 4 x 5.25 piece of kraft cardstock and using my misti stamping tool, I positioned a variety of gingerbread girls and boys stamps from the Art Impressions Gingerbread Cubbies set around 1/2 of the circle die.  I inked the stamps with white pigment ink and stamped onto the kraft cardstock.  I turned the paper around in my misti and stamped the other 1/2 of the cardstock to finish the circle.

I mounted the kraft cardstock onto a piece of red cardstock and then onto a 4.25 x 5.5 card base.  I glued the sentiment circle onto the red circle frame and popped that up with foam tape onto the kraft cardstock in the center of the gingerbread girls and boys.  I colored one gingerbread boy with copic markers and die cut with the dies included in the set.  I tied a piece of twine into a bow and glued the gingerbread boy in the center and attached to the card.

Ta Da done and it took me less than 45 minutes to create two cards.  

I send about 75 Christmas cards out every year and for some reason I always make them so much more involved.  They take me months to complete.  Why don't I keep it simple?  They are just as cute!!  AND so much easier!!!!  

Enjoy and hope you have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!

Mini card

 This week's Art Impression challenge is "Itty Bitty" so I decided to make a mini card out of the Art Impression's Gingerbread house from the Gingerbread Cubbies set.  

  To make this a card, I folded a piece of cardstock and then placed the house die with the left side just over the edge of the fold so that when you cut the house, the left edge doesn't cut, but instead, is the fold of the card.  To finish the inside of the card (no windows or door cuts), I made another die cut of the house on scrap paper and traced it onto plain white cardstock, then I fussy cut it out, trimming the left side to accommodate for the fold and glued it to the inside.  Now you have a plain inside for your sentiment.

 You can make almost any die cut a card by using this technique.   I think the Art Impression's school bus from the School Bus Cubbies set would be adorable as a flip up card.  Gotta try that one next!  I've been wanting to make this Gingerbread cubbies since Christmas and just never found the time, so who says you can't make Christmas cards in March.  😂  This would make a great tag on a Christmas bag!  Can't wait to make more!  Too stinkin' cute!!

  These little cubbie sets are soooo fun to make and play with.  Hope you get to try them out for yourself! 

  Enjoy!