Kickin' Off Christmas Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to the Kickin' Off Christmas Blog Hop!  You may have arrived here from Penny Duncan blog.  This blog hop will feature SP and Company Products and Amy Chomas Products.  Both companies off have wonderful and unique crafting tools. 

Now that I have finally begun my Christmas shopping I have also begun to think about packaging and wrapping.  I love nice packages and bows and tags.... And I love the look of the packages under the tree.  This year I thought I could craft a few personalized boxes and bags just to make things a bit more special.

For today's box I used the square box on the Bags, Tags, Boxes, and More cartridge.  I cut the box in red cardstock and covered the top and side squares with fun Christmas scrap paper.  

Using Stampin' Up Red Riding Hood red ink and SP and Company Christmas tree stamps, I stamped red trees onto smooth white card stock.  I used micro tipped scissors and cut out the trees.  The trees where then attached to the sides of the box using pop dots. 

Next, returning to the Cricut I used the Amy Chomas gel pen holder and the Create a Critter cartridge and wrote the word JOY on red cardstock.  I used the Storybook cartridge and cut a tag shape around the work JOY.  Using pop dots the red tag was affixed to the top of the box.

I also created a matching gift card to go with the gift box.  I cut a white base card and attached a red cardstock square topped with fun Christmas paper to the front of the card.  Just as I did for the top of the box, I used CAC and SB to create the red tag for the front of the card.  I also popped a stamped tree to the front of the card.

I truly think the SP and company stamps work well with my Cricut cut gift box and card set, and that the Chomas Pen holder added a perfect finishing touch to the card and box.  I really like to mix stamping in with my Cricut cuts.

Before you hop on be sure to leave a comment below.  Everyone who leaves a comment will be eligible for a Custom Crops gift voucher drawing.  Remember that Samantha is also giving away a stamp set.  And finally, I will be giving away a copy of my DVD set, It's a Kid's Life - which features 18 layouts, video and pdf instructions along with cut files.  I will choose someone from all of the Tuesday and Wednesday comments.

After leaving your comment below, the next stop on the blog hop is the Cards by Linda blog.  Enjoy your hop!!!

I will be back tomorrow with another blog hop project. 

Amy Chomas

Amber Holden

Donna Mundinger

iCopic

Maria McGuire

Stephanie

Penny Duncan

Susan Edwards You are Here!!

Linda

Jin Yong 

Calypso

Dana Ansell

Lori 

Samantha

Embossed Christmas Trees With SP & Co. Stamps

Yeah, it's the weekend!!  I love the weekend - there should be fewer weekdays and more week end days!  Can any of you arrange that?

Last week I posted my first two cards made with Samantha's, SP and Company, Christmas Tree stamp set.  I mentioned that I had stamped the trees on pink textured cardstock and embossed the print.  This is the card I made with those embossed trees.

I used embossing ink and burgundy embossing powder to create these four trees.  Each stamp was loaded with embossing ink, then stamped onto the pink cardstock.  Burgundy embossing powder (from PK Glitz - formerly the Powder Keg) was applied over the ink and heated with a heat embossing gun.   The effect created with the hand mixed embossing powders is a medium thick embossing with touches of sparkle mixed in the color. 

Using micro tipped scissors I cut out each tree and saved them along with a 6 x 6 square of the pink cardstock.  Last weekend I pulled out the set aside elements and created this card.

Using the Spellbinder's Wizard and Nestie Label #1, the label shape was cut out of the middle of the pink cardstock, creating a label shaped void - and a perfect spot to layer and pop the trees!  The pink cardstock was then trimmed to fit on the front of the burgundy card.

Using assorted sized half pearl embellishments and holographic peel offs, the trees were decorated prior to being layered and attached to the card front.  A Season's Greeting peel off sentiment was added to the front of the card along with half pearls in the corners of the pink cardstock.  Finally holographic peel offs were added to frame the front of the card. 

I have enjoyed using the SP and Company stamps and will be making at least one more Christmas card using this set in the next couple of weeks.  I will be back tomorrow and start another week of Thanksgiving themed projects.