Gatefold # 3 - Christmas Greetings

Inspiration

Every year I make about 150 Christmas cards. I go crazy if I try to make 150 of the same one, so I usually pick 2 or 3 designs from my various “test” cards. Well, one of my Christmas cards is officially designed - the only way I know it passes muster is if Joe likes it - he reacted with a big smile for this one, and say “I LIKE THAT ONE!”, as opposed to a “that’s pretty…” reaction to the last few I’ve shown him.

And this is the third of my Gatefold series (see posts on November 17 and 21) - the design is one of my favorites - I use it a lot because it is so easy to do, and creates a very special look.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 5” x 5 1/2”

Real Red (SU!)	a) 4 1/4” x 11, score at 2 1/8” AND at 6 3/8” b) another small piece about 2 1/2” square
Merry Moments DSP (SU!)	2 5/8” x 4 7/8” - 2 pieces
White Gold Royal Metallic (Wassau)	4” x 4” - 2 pieces
Whisper White (SU!)	2” x 2”

Ink

Basic Black (SU!)

Stamps

Merry Little Christmas (Just Rite Stampers)

Accessories

Markers: Real Red, Garden Green (SU!); SPICA pen: Red; Fleur Di Lis Pendant Shapeabilities die (Spellbinders); Small scalloped circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); Cuttlebug (Provo Craft); Liquid Applique (Marvy); Heat Gun; Scor-Pal; Glue dots; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Stamp the image in black on the small white cardstock square. Run it through the Cuttlebug with the 1 7/8” scalloped die. Color the hat with red, and the leaves with green, and the berries with red pen. Apply Liquid Applique on the fur trim of the hat, and heat it using the heat gun (just until it puffs up a little).

Run the small red square through the Cuttlebug using the next size larger scalloped circle, and mount the white circle on the red.

Snowflake

The snowflake is created from the white metallic paper. The Fleur Di Lis pendant fits into a 4” square, so create 2 pendant die cuts with the die and the Cuttlebug. Run them through twice - once to cut and once to emboss.

Assembly

Mount the patterned paper on the front panels of the Gatefold base card. Then mount the first pendant die cut by applying glue to half of the back, and positioning it so that one corner of the die cut is right in the middle of the opening. Mount the second pendant on the first, but rotate it so that the corners fill in the empty space between the points of the first pendant. That creates your snowflake.

Mount the image right in the center of the snowflake, and you’re done!.

Final Notes

Inside / Envelope

I cut a solid green panel (4” x 5 1/4”), stamped my sentiment on a smaller white panel (3 3/4” x 5”) and layered them on the inside.

The card, while starting out as a standard 4 1/4” x 5 1/2” card ends up being wider because of the snowflakes, so I’ll have to use an envelope for a 5” x 7” card (A7).

I hope you all have a very happy, safe Thanksgiving weekend, and remember to count the many blessings in your life!

Thanks for stopping by.