Stampin' Up! Christmas cards

Hello, everyone, this post is a shout out to my fellow demos here in Wichita who want to know "Why haven't you shown any SU on your blog?" (Karen!) Yesterday I went to play with my friend LeAnn. We had fun stamping and I got some great ideas. I was playing with her Winter Post set. It is kind of a vintage set with a lot of great possibilities! For a peek at an amazing card of LeAnn's, go HERE:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1134706?cat=500&ppuser=84569

For this card I used my new Big Shot Top Note die (how I love that thing!), stamped the trees from Lovely as a Tree in Baja Breeze, embossed the reindeer from Winter Post and "be merry" from Warm Words in silver, and went around the edge of my piece with my Versamarker and embossed that in silver. I stamped the snowflake from WP in tone on tone on Bali Breeze CS, popped up my focal point and added some silver cord. I love the way this turned out--I was going for a silent wintry forest sort of feel.

For this card I was inspired by the DP which comes from the SU Simply Scrappin' set I Wish. SU had lots of great coordinating accessories in their holiday mini this year, among them the Felt Flurries and the Alpine ribbon, both of which I love! Here I stamped the image in Chocolate Chip and added a touch of color with my pastels. Used my ticket corner punch and added gold brads, mounted on Old Olive CS. Skaters are from Winter Post. I used my scallop border punch on my DP and added a strip of Old Olive at the top of that. Then I tied a knot in my felt Alpine ribbon and poked it through the hole in my felt snowflake. Card base is Real Red. Very quick and easy card to put together.

The little leaf image from Fresh Cuts reminds me of mistletoe, so I stamped that all around the edge of my Top Note die cut in Old Olive, sponged a little, added the reindeer from Winter Post and the sentiment from Best Yet, a hostess set. Then again with the knotted ribbon through the snowflake (this time the stripe from Alpine). Card base is Riding Hood Red, layer is Old Olive. Again, simple and pretty (I think).

After I stamped with LeAnn, I went to work, picked up the kids and fed them, then went caroling with my church group. LeAnn went with us too. It was so much fun! I love Christmas carols, and the people we went caroling to (assisted living facilities and older folks' homes) were so happy and appreciative--you could tell they were really glad we came. It was a great experience.

Hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season and getting that all-important stamping time in!