This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!
Hi friends! I am so excited to be a stop on Day 1 of the two day Season of Wonder Release Blog Hop for Simon Says Stamp! You should have arrived here from Suzy Plantamura, and your next stop is Lisa Addesa. You can also start back at the Simon Says Stamp Blog in case you get lost. This month’s Season of Wonder release is filled with stunning, classic autumn and holiday imagery, and I’ve used a few different products to create these two vibrant holiday cards. Let’s get started with the details!
I am a sucker for a gorgeous floral embossing folder, and the new Free Falling Floral Embossing Folder is an absolute stunner. I began by running an A2 sized panel of Hammermill cardstock through my die cutting machine, which was lovely on its own, but I couldn’t resist using my Copic markers to do some no-line coloring on the pretty flowers. I wanted to create a holiday floral background, so I decided to make them a deep red with beautiful jewel bright greenery to emote that holiday aesthetic. I added some white gel pen to the tips of the black stamens, adding a bit more texture and dimension to the image.
For the greeting, I kept things very simple, die cutting the detail layer of the Fancy Tidings of Cheer die from some Black Glitter Paper Basics by Hero Arts and the larger outline layer from Heavyweight Vellum. I popped the sentiment up with some foam tape, allowing it to hang slightly over the edge. I love the decadent feeling that little extra hanging off creates on your card!
To add to the festive feel and add another element of texture to the super textured and detailed card front, I tied a cherry red twine bow and tucked it beneath the sentiment at a jaunty angle. Finally, I added some more shine with some Onyx gems. I love the simplicity and crazy amount of texture on this card!
My second card features the darling new Deck the Halls set designed by my friend Alberto Gava! His illustrations are so adorable and really capture such a sweet attitude. I tend to try to keep my holiday cards a bit simpler, preferring a more graphic style rather than building a detailed scene, but I couldn’t resist creating a sweet holiday scene, perhaps a group of cousins decorating grandma’s Christmas tree. I stamped the images from Deck the Halls onto a panel of Hammermill using Hero Arts Contour Ink, then used my Copic markers to color the image.
In order to create the baubles on the tree, I used shimmery Star Spark Pens to color little glittering circles on the tree. I love that these pens are opaque enough that they can be layered over the top of colorful cardstock or coloring. I also used the Star Spark Pens to add sparkly details to the bows on the gifts! Once I had finished adding my shimmering details, I adhered clear droplet baubles over the top of the glittery circles to create a 3D effect on the tree. I think it adds such a fun textural element to the scene!
After I had finished coloring and die cutting, I used the Soft Plaid Background with Hero Arts Iridescent Blue embossing powder to heat emboss a subtle pattern on the 5″ square card front. This gorgeous embossing powder creates beautiful, subtle shimmer, perfect for allowing the colorful holiday die cuts to be the star of the show! For the greeting, I stamped the large calligraphy sentiment and sentiment block using Altenew Obsidian pigment ink, then covered it with clear embossing powder to make them nice and crisp. I die cut the embossed sentiments, then adhered all of the die cuts on the embossed background panel using both liquid and foam adhesive. Such a fun and festive card, perfect for a special friend or family member!!
Well, that’s all for my projects today! To celebrate the Simon Says Stamp Season of Wonder release, Simon Says Stamp is doing a special gift with purchase promotion:
Simply enter code HOLLY at checkout to receive the Graceful Holly 3D embossing folder with any $25 or more purchase. This gift with purchase will expire 10/8 at 11:59 pm EDT. While supplies last.
Simon Says Stamp is also sponsoring a $25 coupon giveaway at each stop on the hop! Leave a comment at each stop on the hop for maximum opportunities to win. Winners will be announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday the 11th of October. Winners should email Simon Says Stamp to claim his/her prize 🙂
Your next stop on the hop is Lisa Addesa. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and don’t forget to check the Simon Says Stamp blog tomorrow for Day 2 of the hop! Happy hopping!
