MFT July Creative Challenge — Christmas in July

Welcome to this month’s My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Challenge. The Creative Challenge is a monthly feature where we are challenged to explore our creative side using a specific theme, product or technique.  This month we were challenged to kick-start our holiday projects with Christmas in July.  Be sure to check the MFT Blog for a list of all the designers who have put their MFT stamps and/or Die-namics dies to work to create holiday projects for you.  🙂

Friendship Warms the Heart

I pretty much had to take this opportunity to get at least two Christmas cards completed so I pulled out two of my favorite holiday Pure Innocence sets.  (Actually, I pulled three but one I only used for the sentiment.)

On my first card, I used Merry Kissmas along with Oval STAX, Traditional Tags STAX and Little Open Scallop Strip and Die-namics.

After stamping and coloring my image onto X-Press It Blending Card (and paper-piecing the snowman’s hat and scarf), I die-cut using Oval STAX, matting onto Gumdrop Green cardstock.

You can see better in this photo that I added a clear dimensional glaze to the berries, snowman’s nose and buttons.

On the inside, I stamped an additional sentiment along with the berries, extending the branch line with a Copic multiliner.

Merry Wishes

My second card uses another of my favorite holiday sets, Sending You a Little Christmas.  The sentiment is from Presents for You.    I also used Circle STAX as well as one of our new Sentiment Strips Die-namics.

I pieced the girl’s hat and coat and used E50 and E51 to shade the “white” areas. The image was stamped onto X-Press It Blending Card (it’s my favorite) and matted onto Red Hot cardstock.

To mat the sentiment strip, I die-cut one white and one red strip.  After stamping the sentiment on the white strip, I cut away the top and bottom edges along the embossed line.  Super easy.  🙂

On the inside, I used more Circle STAX and left plenty of room for a short holiday note.

Don’t forget to check out the MFT blog for more inspiration!

Thanks for visiting today!  🙂

Stamps:  My Favorite Things “Merry Kissmas,” “Sending You a Little Christmas” and “Presents for You”  (Pure Innocence)   Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black    Paper: MFT Gumdrop Green and Red Hot, X-Press It Blending Card, October Afternoon “Holiday Style”  (8×8)   Accessories:  Copic markers (E00, E11, BV000, R20, E31, E50, E51, Y21, YR23, YG91, YG93, YG95, R22, R24, R89, W00, W1, W3, BG70, BG90), MFT Oval, Circle and Traditional Tags STAX, Sentiment Strips and Little Open Scallop Border Die-namics, Michaels rhinestones, brads, May Arts ribbon, foam boosters.  Friendship Warms the Heart finished size 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″; Merry Wishes finished size 5″ x 5″.