reason for the season (Christmas series tutorial)

OKAY!! Here's the card you've been waiting for! A card that is a single layer and can be mailed with NO EXTRA POSTAGE! Trust the "emboss resist technique" to provide you this fantastic card! I'm often surprised how complete you can make a card when you create this way.

  

 First cut 10 white card bases 5 1/2" by 8 1/2".

 

Now fold them in half!

We are using three Stampin Up stamp sets for this card: Reason for the Season from this year's Holiday Catty, Gorgeous Grunge from the Annual and Ornamental Pines from last year's Holiday Catalogue.

Clear emboss the poinsettia and sentiment from Reason for the Season as well as the dotty image from Gorgeous Grunge. There is no rule for where these dots go, but if you look carefully at the pictures (especially of the finished card, you'll get the idea.)

Using Stampin' Write markers in Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze and Cherry Cobbler, color in the center and first round of petals (above and below)  Wipe off the excess ink from the embossed edge.

 

 Sponge Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green strategically over the card front. Wipe off excess ink.

With Garden Green stamp those same dots from Gorgeous Grunge, the pine image from Ornamental Pines as well as the Poinsettia image from Reason for the Season around the edge of card. Wipe off excess ink AGAIN!!

It may be that no one will notice this little detail, but a good quality card usually has hidden details that you notice later...or only if you study it well. Take a Gray marker and make shadows along the petals where they'd be naturally shadowed. Makes it look 3-D.

Look at that, my dear! Check out those gorgeous cards! All 10 of them! And below is the single card...all finished! What do you think? Easy, huh??!!