Hello everyone!! Brenda here with you today!! Are you frantically trying to tie up all those loose ends for the holiday like I am? I usually have everything wrapped up with a pretty bow by now, but not this year. I feel like I’m really behind, for some reason.

I have two cards to share with you today. One is a holiday card (I told you I was behind), and the other is for a young couple who is in the process of building their first home.

We’ll start with the holiday card first…

I think this card turned out super elegant, but it was relatively easy to make. I started by creating a bokeh background by using a homemade stencil (made with punches) and sponging on metallic gold ink. I wanted to create the feeling that the ornaments were hanging in front of a lot of lights. I placed a strip of Gold Glitter Tape down the edge of a card base and placed the bokeh panel over it. Next, I stamped each ornament from the Holiday Ornaments set onto vellum five times with Versamark Ink and heat embossed them with gold embossing powder. I also stamped a topper for each of the ornaments and embossed those with silver embossing powder. I fussy cut all the ornaments, since I didn’t have the coordinating dies. I adhered a silver topper to each of the ornaments and folded each ornament down the center. Half of each ornament was adhered to the opposite half of the next one, until all five were adhered together. I figured out the placement of my three ornaments and adhered some metallic gold thread to the card base. The dimensional ornaments were then adhered to the card base. I also tied some bows with the gold thread and attached them at the top of each ornament. Lastly, Happy Holidays, also from the Holiday Ornaments set, was heat embossed in gold onto a black cardstock strip.

Here is the second card I have for you today…

I had so much fun making this card!! It is for a friend of mine who is building her first home…so exciting!!! It was fun trying to imagine what her style might be!! Added bonus…they also have a golden retriever!!

I began by stamping the Scenes: Fireplace Cling Background Stamp and images from the Fireplace Accessories and Fireplace Holiday Accessories with Caviar Ink and colored them with Copic markers. I created shiplap (any Fixer Upper fans here?) for above the fireplace with a T-square ruler and a Copic multi-liner. The Double Stitched Rectangle Die (Small) was used to cut the background panel and top of the shiplap piece. Next, all the accessories were fussy cut, running a black marker around the edge to cover the white core of the paper. I drew a diamond shaped pattern on the rug with a gray marker. All of the colored images were adhered as shown. I used a silver jelly roll pen to create a “metallic” accent on the mirror. The sentiment, also from Fireplace Accessories, was stamped onto the shiplap with Caviar Ink. Lastly, the panel was mounted onto black cardstock.

That’s it for me today!! I’m off to finish wrapping gifts and do some baking!! Here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season a happy new year!!!

Before I go…I want to remind you to come join us on The Ton’s Challenge Blog for a chance to win a $50 gift card to The Ton’s Store!! All you have to do is link up a project inspired by this beautiful mood board that Effie put together!! You have until the end of the month to play along!!