Hello fellow crafters!
I am happy to share a video with you featuring our favorite 2017 Holiday dies from both Memory Box and Poppystamps! There is a range of ideas here - from simple to intricate - and they are sure to get you inspired for the holidays. Please check out the video - and enjoy the close up pictures that I have included on the post.
And please leave a comment on the blog saying which one is your favorite! We will randomly select a comment to win a prize - the winner will receive all of the dies used on their favorite card! Please leave a comment by September 6, 2017 at midnight Pacifiic Time.
(Watch this video in HD by clicking here)
All of the photos are in the video, but I am sharing some close-up shots here on the blog of each of the projects so that you can get a good look at them!
A little paper inlay creates a striking snowman silhouette with the Poppystamps 1848 Snowman Love Craft Die.
We can't get enough of the 1881 Concentric Rings die - using a mix of colors and textures of cardstock, you can create a visually stunning base for the 1860 Celeste Snowflake. Try all sorts of colors! Each ring can be fit into the next like a puzzle.
My favorite craft die on this project is the 1886 Tiny Fawns - they are so little and yet the details are still clear. A little white gel pen produces some nice little spots on their backs for a realistic touch!
We've had lots of fun with the Poppystamps 1857 Taglet and Bow die - I combined it with the 1851 Snowman Taglet to create a unique piece for the front of the card here. The base taglet is cut out in white, the bow is cut out in silver glitter cardstock (don't forget to use your metal adaptor plate!) and then the Snowman Taglet is cut out of soft, pink velvet paper. Layered together these combine for a simple and chic look.
One of our favorite combos for building a scene is the Poppystamps 1863 Snowscape and 1867 Open Hillside. The horizon lines in each die are staggered, so that when you layer them together you get a 3 dimensional look. And the 30094 Wrapped Stitched Rectangles create a cool border of white on white cardstock.
This one was so fun to put together! There are a lot of pieces, but its worth the effort to create such a fun scene. The circle frame is the Poppystamps 1940 Pointed Circle Frames and I love how the little pinpoints provide a little extra detail to the cardstock's texture. The lighter aqua background is a circle cut out slightly smaller than the frame using the 30087 Circle Basics - you could freehand cut out the circle, just making sure its a little bit smaller than the frame. But using the circle dies for making this piece is a lot easier.
The other two components of the scene are the Poppystamps 1905 Tiny Polar Bears and the 99805 Snowbanks Drift (for the hill with the trees on it). I cut the Snowbanks Drift out of some white glitter cardstock for extra sparkle and it looks just like a frosty winter wonderland. And those polar bears? Each time you run the die, you get 5 bears to choose from for your scene!
I think this Holiday Candle card is especially fun! I used the 99803 Candle Centerpiece (cut out of metallic gold cardstock) for the center of the card and paper pieced red and green cardstock into the open areas. But beneath that I used the 99790 Holly Collage and paper pieced in the holly cutouts that I had colored with Distressed Oxide ink (Peeled Paint, Fossilized Amber and a touch of Faded Jeans). Adding those green leaves into open spaces on the white creates an artistic contrast.
The Pointed Rectangle Frame from poppystamps makes a subtle white on white border.
The 99801 Snowman Heart Collage creates the silhouette of a snowman inside a heart - and I filled it with some soft velvet paper in pink. The hat, scarf, heart, nose, buttons and eyes are included with the die and can be used to cut out and decorate the snowman.
I tried to create an angle on the card by slightly shifting the eyes and carrot nose to the right. This adds a little dimension!
I have designed a lot of word dies this year using the "perky" script, so I created the 99858 Merry Christmas Perky Script to add to the collection. This Merry Christmas is a good basic size that works with lots of designs.
I added "merry" to a small strip of green cardstock and then tucked it under the 99849 Poinsettia Oval (which was cut out of shiny gold cardstock). The Poinsettia Oval works with the 99846 Poinsettia Oval Background so that I can fill the open spaces with some deep red cardstock.
The highlight on the 99852 Stitched Circle Cabin is the glittering roof! I wanted to take this single die and transform it into something more 3-dimensional. So I cut it out several times - out of the white cardsock for the base, but also out of pink for the sides of the cabin and out of white glitter cardstock for the snowy roof. Once I had all of my pieces I layered them together for an easy - but more interesting - composition on the card.
I don't think you can have enough poinsettia dies, so I have designed a lot of them over the years! This is the 30093 Poinsettia Blooms and it will be one of your favorites. I cut the 3 sets of leaves out of cream colored cardstock and gently sponged the middle with Distress Oxide in in Worn Lipstick. After layering these together and carefully bending the leaves, I added some drizzles of clear glitter glue.
I created a base of greenery using the Poppystamps 1862 Wispy Pine Needles and 1868 Small Wispy Pine Needles. These are super versatile - you can stack them like I did here for a pop of color or create a terrific border. The needles are very finely detailed.
The 99847 May Your Days die will fill your whole card, so we decided to use white glitter cardstock to make this saying really shine. The design is really bold and doesn't need much else - but you could hang some little ornaments on the lettering or add some perched birds!
This one was all about the background! The 99797 Reindeer Window cuts out a large opening to reveal the Reindeer silhouette, so we filled it with lots of color. I used Distress Oxide in Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo to create a blended background of ink. After blending, I spritzed with a bleach and water solution (3 cups of water and 1 tablsepoon of bleach) to create some dramatic white splatters.
Finally, I embossed some designs from the CL5187 Christmas Botanicals Clear Stamp Set and colored them in with a Wink of Stella pen. The result is so eye catching!
Finally, my favorite card uses the 1888 Peaceful Dove Collage - flying onto the 1852 Holly Twig. The background is Distress Oxide ink - using Broken China, Peeled Paint, Fossilized Amber and Vintage Photo. I tried to get the "glow" of the ink to make a little halo around the dove's head and I really like how it turned out - it's amazing what color can do!
I hope you like the card ideas - have fun trying out your own versions! There are many more designs in the 2017 Memory Box Holiday collection and the 2017 Poppystamps Holiday collection - take a look and get inspired!
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It doesn't get better than a simple snowman. So cute!
Posted by: Laura | 09/02/2017 at 06:36 PM
The poinsettia blooms make a stunning card! Love it....thanks for asking Dave. BTW the major of my dies are either Memorybox or Poppystamps.
Posted by: Joni Beasley | 09/02/2017 at 06:37 PM
I really like the poinsettia one. Saved it already to CASE.
Posted by: Laurie | 09/02/2017 at 06:38 PM
Peaceful dove collage is my absolute favorite!!! It's gorgeous!
Posted by: Frederica Bond | 09/02/2017 at 06:40 PM
I love, love, love Tiny-Fawns-craft card. It displays the sweetness of the season.
This card is sure to bring joy to anyone lucky enough to receive it!
Posted by: Angela Staudacher | 09/02/2017 at 06:41 PM
Choosing a favorite is a hard thing to do with all the lovely cards made. They are all so beautiful. But since I have to choose, it would be the Poinsettia Blooms. I love putting poinsettia's on my Christmas cards.
Posted by: Lori B | 09/02/2017 at 06:41 PM
Love the reindeer background! Love your dies!
Posted by: Paula | 09/02/2017 at 06:41 PM
The Peaceful Dove Collage makes a beautiful less ordinary card!
Posted by: Doris | 09/02/2017 at 06:42 PM
So beautiful is the 30093 Poinsettia Blooms! OMG just stunning!
Posted by: Teresa A Mikalouski | 09/02/2017 at 06:42 PM
I absolutely love the concentric circles as well as the stitched circles and squares.
Posted by: Margaret-Anne Topshee | 09/02/2017 at 06:42 PM
Love love love the penguin!
Posted by: Carmen | 09/02/2017 at 06:42 PM
I love the Peaceful Dove card. The whole collection is lovely.
Posted by: Jeanie Puckett | 09/02/2017 at 06:42 PM
The poinsettia blooms and the pine are my favorite and say Christmas! I love the detail that Memory Box dies give and having the poppy stamps enhance the details greatly.
Posted by: Judy T McEwan | 09/02/2017 at 06:45 PM
Reindeer window.... just love it..
Posted by: BobsGal45 | 09/02/2017 at 06:46 PM
30093 the poinsettia is breathtaking! Gorgeous.
Posted by: Bonnie | 09/02/2017 at 06:46 PM
I love the many options with the concentric circles!!
Posted by: Julie Malinchak | 09/02/2017 at 06:46 PM
a snowman with a heart . . . linda
Posted by: Linda M. Cohn | 09/02/2017 at 06:47 PM
I'm a traditional kinda gal and what could be more traditional than this lovely poinsettia die. Love this card!
Posted by: Linda | 09/02/2017 at 06:47 PM
I like the wonky rectangles with the tree and snow background.
Posted by: janice Thomas | 09/02/2017 at 06:48 PM
I love the reindeer window silhouette ...so pretty and elegant...love the background effect...tfs
Posted by: Gloria Westerman | 09/02/2017 at 06:48 PM
Just beautiful, I love the dove, poinsettias, leaves, holy twig and the pine needle twig. Sooo Christmas!!
Posted by: Norma | 09/02/2017 at 06:48 PM
Fantastic release! Love the poinsettia, snowflake and snowman. Time to begin the holiday cards!
Posted by: Kate | 09/02/2017 at 06:48 PM
My favorite hands down is the card with the 1886 Tiny Fawns. Since I live in Maine this is a scene which we get to see occasionally so I think it's only fitting to share what we get to see with friends all over the USA, especially at Christmas.
Posted by: Grace | 09/02/2017 at 06:48 PM
It's hard to pick a favorite, but the peaceful dove is my number 1, pink poinsettia a close second.
Posted by: Sandra Williams | 09/02/2017 at 06:49 PM
I can only pick one? Love the splattered look behind the reindeer
silhouette.
Posted by: Margaret | 09/02/2017 at 06:49 PM