Winter Ornament

Christmas week is here! What an exciting time! Today’s card looks very similar to yesterday’s card, and I did that for a reason. I wanted to share with you all a tip that every busy holiday cardmaker knows: creating an entire new card and look can be as easy as simply changing one or two elements. Take another look at Winter Weekend.

 

The backgrounds are the same: Luxe Background from Poppystamps, one in blue and one in teal. The trees are slightly different: Crafty Tree Background and Twirly Whirly Tree in one, and Winterland Tree and Background in the other. Both have a cute holly and berries embellishment in the corner. But then we have the adorable Woodland Fawn and the Giovanna Snowflake in one, and the Viviro Ornament and Pine Sprigs in the other. We have two very different cards with two different looks.

When I create cards, I sometimes do as many as five or six all at the same time! That’s becoming a lot harder now since we have a new feline kitty addition to our home! I’ll make all the bases at the same time, then cut backgrounds, then start cutting main elements. Sometimes, I’ll pull out all the dies I’m going to use and make a big pile, then just go right down the stack until all my cuts are made. But honestly, you have to be pretty organized to keep them all straight! However, with all six laid out in front of me, it’s easy to see what I’m missing – -until a kitty comes up to supervise or assist! Every single one of them LOVES to lay right on top of my projects!

More often than not, though, I have complicated cards with many tiny inlays or pieces that I have to assemble with a craft tweezers. Then I work with scrap paper envelopes or small cardboard box trays that I use to collect all the pieces in. Sometimes, I may not even know what the final design will be  — only a background or a main idea, so I might start a project, and then return to it later, sometimes thinking about the components for days, trying to get the best color combination or perspective. Sometimes I scrap the entire project and start over!

No matter how and why and where and when you design cards, a fresh new crafting year is right around the corner! It’s a wonderful time to try new techniques, new color combinations, and new challenges! Crimson Owl Creations will be trying new things for 2015 too! Join us for blog candy giveaways, featured guest designers, designer “tips” and “secrets,” and more guest appearances from my feline assistants!

Have a wonderful 2014 wrap up, and live your life in color!