Well, since I lost my job at the beginning of November, I haven't done much running. Last week I started doing EA Active 2 on the PS3 again. I did that for a week...until I found my copy of Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred. I started that yesterday.
This time around, Jillian Michael's isn't as hard as the last time I tried doing it. The only thing I struggled with on Level 1 this times, was push ups...who doesn't struggle with push ups? I'm feeling the burn today. I didn't have a chance to do Jillian today, but am going back again tomorrow. I'd like to do it at least 5 days a week. I read somewhere online that if you do it every day for 30 days straight, you can lose 10 lbs. I'm okay with not losing 10 lbs., but I want to lose something. So, I'll probably take weekends off - which is good because our weekends our swamped for the rest of the month.
Just a little seasonal picture...this is our house decorated this year. Last year we just had the PacMan ghost - which our neighbor across the street thought was a sad face, so she decorated one of her bushes with a happy face.
Bazzill Basics paper 12x12 Sparkle (hereafter referred to as BB Sparkle)
Vellum (8.5x11, you can use any size you like)
12x12 White Card stock
Blue card stock of choice for die cutting into snowflakes (I got my snowflakes at work from a job we printed and die cut)
Stamps
3 snowflakes stamp by Stamp of Excellence (any snowflake stamps will do)
Christmas greeting of choice for front
Christmas saying of choice for inside
Ink
Adirondack Lights Cloudy Blue
StazOn Teal Blue
Tools
Tim Holtz Alterations 3 snowflakes embossing folder
Creative Memories (CM) Small Circle Cutter with Green Blade
Die cutter and/or embossing tool
Snowflake die cut of your choice
Adhesive of choice
Glue dots small
Silver thread
When I create my Christmas cards, I go into mass production mode. For me this means cutting everything down, stamping as much as I can, folding, cutting, embossing, etc. and then assembling everything together. Some steps in this card I performed together to make it easier in case I left the project for several hours (or days).
Step 1
Cut 12x12 white card stock into thirds. Your final trimmed piece will be 4x12". Fold in half to 4x6". Cut additional white card stock to 4" wide by 1" high (or higher, depending on the size of your Christmas greeting). Stamp your Christmas greeting on the 4x1" pieces of white card stock.
Step 2
Cut BB Sparkle (background for inside and outside) to 4x6".
Left side shows the vellum on top of white paper.
Step 3
Stamp snowflakes randomly on vellum using the Adirondack Lights Cloudy Blue ink. This ink does not dry fast on vellum, so make sure you are careful and set it aside to dry before doing anything else with the vellum (you can stamp and entire 8.5x11/12x12 sheet before setting it aside).
Step 4
Cut vellumdown so it's 4" wide (top right photo). From here you will just gently tear the sheet to get the strips you will need for the final design (bottom two photos). Gently tear 1 1/2" strips of vellum.
Step 5
Die cut your snowflakes. Once your snowflakes are cut, you can attach two together with some thread (approximately 3") in between, using a glue dot (below: first photo).
I aligned the thread down one of the spikes of one of the snowflakes (to
make it less noticeable) before attaching the second one (below: second photo). I didn't align
my snowflakes, but you can if you want to. My snowflakes were not the same color on the front and back, so I chose
to have them face opposite directions, so I had blue and white on both
sides (below: last photo).
From left to right: attach glue dot; add thread along one of spikes in snowflake,
attaching at glue dot; place second snowflake on top either in the same position
as main snowflake or off to make it look bigger.
Step 6
Using a removable adhesive, attach the BB Sparkle paper to the front of the card. (If you do not have a removable adhesive, you can attach the bottom half of the BB Sparkle to the white card stock - make sure you only do the edges on the bottom so you can still access between the two card stocks.) Unfold white card stock so paper lays flat. Align CM circle cutter in desired position on BB Sparkle attached to front of the white card stock (I positioned mine towards the top and centered), using the green blade cut a circle through the BB Sparkle and white card stock.
Step 7
Align the snowflake in the center of the circle and attach one side of the thread at a time*, make sure to pull thread tight, but not too tight (you don't want to break the thread). Cut excess thread from top of card. Make sure snowflake is centered horizontally and vertically before permanently adhering BB Sparkle paper. *If your card is vertical, your thread should go vertical and the if it's horizontal, should align horizontally (this will allow free spinning and less likelihood of the thread stretching too much causing the snowflake to hit the sides of your circle).
Holding BB Sparkle somewhat in place, add snowflake, pulling thread tight
and center in the circle. Attach BB Sparkle once snowflake is in place.
Step 8
Attach vellum to front side of card, use the adhesive along top edge only (below: first photo). You don't have to use a clear adhesive since your Christmas greeting will cover up where your adhesive is. Attach Christmas greeting at top of vellum (below: last photo). I attached my greeting approximately 1/4" below circle.
Step 9
Emboss dull side of BB Sparkle using the Tim Holtz snowflake embossing folder. Attach on the inside of the card. Stamp Christmas greeting starting halfway down on the inside (this way the greeting can't be seen through the hole where the snowflake is).
You're done! Great job! Hope you enjoyed this how-to. If you have any suggestions or questions, please let me know! Happy card making!
I included a little handwritten note on the inside under the circle which said: To spin snowflake blow on left or right side of snowflake.
Here's a link to a video of how the spinner works (although you can't see it very well).
Just a little seasonal picture...this is our house decorated this year. Last year we just had the PacMan ghost - which our neighbor across the street thought was a sad face, so she decorated one of her bushes with a happy face.
