Heart of Christmas - Holly
October 24, 2022
Welcome to our regular Monday evening Heart of Christmas blog hop with the Art With Heart Stampin' Up! team in Australia.This week I am featuring the lovely Boughs of Holly Suite from the Stampin' Up! July to December Mini Catalogue.
I took inspiration for my cards this week from one of the card samples on page 24 of the catalogue.
I really love the use of the beautiful Boughs of Holly Designer Series Paper in the sample, and how the poinsettia flowers were fussy cut and layered over the subtle striped Evening Evergreen print paper. So I decided to use that idea, but I also wanted to use the beautiful die-cut label from the product suite, so I changed the cards just a little to suit myself.
I chose to use Evening Evergreen for the base cards, and leave a small border showing behind the Designer Series Paper. And I used the up the incomplete flower prints from the sides of the paper to self-frame the second card.
When you have a patterned paper with bold prints, designed for cutting out individually, this is a great way to use up those pieces around the edges of the paper, that might otherwise go to waste.
These cards could easily be stepped up with layered die-cut foliage, rhinestones or other jewels, the cute wooden Textural Elements that are part of the suite, and some ribbon or trim. In fact, I might even come back and add a stack of rhinestones to each one to give them that Christmas sparkle.
At the moment I have kept them really simple (and flat) because I know there is less chance of them being damaged in the post, or in having to pay extra postage for them. Have you posted your overseas Christmas cards yet? Better get on to that quickly!
Next in our Heart of Christmas blog hop is Rosa Leydon, I always look forward to seeing her creations. Click on the NEXT box below to go to Rosa's blog!
If there is a broken link in the blog hop, our normal Monday host is Sharon. All of the particpants and their links are listed on Sharon's post here.
Please leave a comment and I will see you again soon!
Kathryn Ruddick
(Mansfield VIC)
Product List
Beautiful, Kathryn. I love to to do this with floral edge pieces, too ... great use of DSP, and it makes for a lovely card design. Love the paper you used for the backgrounds.
Posted by: CHRISTINE BLAIN | October 24, 2022 at 08:21 PM
Kathryn, I love how you have attached the label die cut with the holly leaves draping down. I haven’t seen it used this way before and I really, really love it. It’s nice to see that darker green striped pattern used too.
Posted by: Caroline Louise Manwaring | October 24, 2022 at 10:32 PM
Two beautiful cards Kathryn. I love your use of the delightful boughs of holly DSP. You are right the poinsettia arrangements do call out for fussy cutting and are beautiful against the Evening Evergreen striped design. Your use of the holly labels is gorgeous. I do need to get my act together and write cards for overseas - time is speeding by. Xxx
Posted by: Andrea Sargent | October 25, 2022 at 09:14 AM
Oh I love that you chose to use the B-Side of this paper. I love this muted stripe and it works so well with the stark white sentiment panel and the pops of red. I salute your fussy cutting prowess.
Posted by: Michele Taylor | October 25, 2022 at 12:26 PM
Beautiful cards Kathryn and your fussy cutting is fabulous. I also love how you have turned the die cut up the other way on the second card. Looks great.
Posted by: Theresa Gerrard | October 25, 2022 at 01:35 PM
Beautiful fussy cut poinsettias, you really can't go wrong with them for Christmas. I love that die for the sentiment and the background DSP is perfect!
Posted by: Kate Morgan | October 25, 2022 at 03:11 PM
Oh I love your cards. Isn't the DSP lovely? The Holly Leaf label is striking in white and I love that you have used it in both directions. Love all the fussy cutting! Your cards look fabulous!
Posted by: Sharon Davern | October 25, 2022 at 06:53 PM
Kathryn your cards are so lovely and great use of this DSP as background together with your fussy cut poinsettias, especially as arranged in the second card.
Posted by: Rosa Leyden | October 25, 2022 at 11:52 PM
The vintage-looking poinsettias look fabulous on your card. The striped background is wonderful.
Posted by: Tina Gillespie | October 26, 2022 at 09:05 PM