Christmas Cards 2013

I always start thinking about my Christmas cards early in the year but then keep changing my mind or being tempted by new papers, or new dies, or new techniques I have seen and want to try.  Most of my projects has some embossed element on them - either heat embossed or using embossing folders or masks.  When I started out paper crafting many years ago I heat embossed everything in sight and then decided to buy some bargain price embossing powder from the online auction site.  It was a disaster - the results were rubbish and this put me off of embossing for ages.  I thought it was something I was doing wrong - perhaps the wrong paper, the wrong ink, heating too long or not long enough.  I kept wasting my lovely stash.  Anyway after leaving it for a while I bought some good quality embossing powder and OMG - the results were just amazing.  I can't believe the difference good quality crafting items make to the final outcome.  We are always on the look out for a bargain but to be honest a smaller amount of something good and lovely and that will be used to good effect is so much better value than a large amount of something cheaper that won't be used and will just stay in the cupboard.

This year I made a few different style of Christmas cards.  The first ones were in ivory and gold.  The stamped images were stamped in gold and embossed with a sparkle embossing powder.  The Crafters Companion Embossalicious embossing folder was inked and the card debossed and then sprinkled with sparkle embossing powder for a different look.  I tried also with gold embossing powder but found this a bit too heavy for this occasion.  The ribbon is some from my stash.

                                    

                                              

                             

The next card was made using a Craftwork Cards Twister card blank and heat embossed.  The stamp was from Elusive Images which is now Chocolate Baroque, I have lots of their stamps and often find myself going back to them.  For Christmas again I used some sparkle embossing powder.  I am loving the twister cards.