Pot of Poinsettias and Christmas Wreath cards

Today's color challenge from SCS is Very Vanilla, Real Red and Wild Wasabi ... with the dessert (optional) being 4 layers.  I made two cards, one with dessert and one without.  I now have made so many Christmas cards that when I made my latest donation of cards to Children's Hospital in Vancouver, many of them were Christmas cards.  But I can't help myself, I'm Christmas crazy right now.  My house is decorated (except for our large tree that we'll put up around Dec. 20th) and I've been playing Christmas music and have almost finished writing my cards for this year.  It's my favorite time of year!  Hope you like these latest Christmas cards - both of which are CAS (clean and simple).

The first card has four layers and is made with all SU! products.

"Pot of Poinsettias"

Stamps:  A Flower for All Seasons, Short & Sweet (SU!)

Paper:  Real Red, Very Vanilla (SU!)

Ink:  Sahara Sand, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Early Espresso (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, Scor-Pal, adhesives and dimensionals

I inked the stamp in Early Espresso and stamped onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  I colored in the image with Stampin' Write markers.  I cut the image to size (1 3/4" square) and mounted it one larger square of Real Red cardstock, popping it up with dimensionals.

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I cut a 4" square of Very Vanilla cardstock and scored on all four sides, 1/4" and 3/4" from the edge.  I cut an "X" in the middle section and then extended each tip of the "X" into the corner, stopping at the first score intersection ... I did this for all four corners.  I then folded back the triangles to the back, trimmed them down and adhered them with sticky strips.  I cut across diagonally on all four corners of my square, folded the 1/4" score line to the back and adhered with sticky strips.  This created a Very Vanilla frame.  I stamped the sentiment in Real Red ink on the bottom right-hand corner of the frame, using the Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement.  I mounted the frame on top of the main panel, centering the image.

I mounted the whole front panel onto a square card base of Real Red cardstock.

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The second card is for the same color challenge as above, but also qualifies for another card for yesterday's CAS challenge - Twine!  Hope you like.

"Christmas Wreath"

Stamps:  Short & Sweet (SU!)

Paper:  Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla (SU!)

Ink:  Real Red (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  scallop circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Peapod twine and Maraschino twine (The Twinery), small red half pearls, two mini jingle bells, Stamp-a-ma-jig, adhesives and dimensionals

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I punched a 1 1/4" circle from Wild Wasabi cardstock.  I centered the scallop punch over top of the hole, and punched it out creating a scalloped wreath.  I wrapped Peapod twine around the wreath and secured the ends of the twine to the back using adhesives.  I placed several small, red half-pearls randomly on the wreath.

I took piece of Maraschino twine and tied a very small bow, leaving long tails.  I threaded a mini jingle bell onto each tail, tied a knot to hold the bell in place and trimmed the end.

I cut a large piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, dry-fit the wreath on top to determine where my sentiment should be placed, using the Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I removed the wreath and stamped the sentiment in Real Red ink.  I mounted the front panel onto a card base of Wild Wasabi cardstock.  I mounted the wreath on the front of the card, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.