Christmas Cards starting in OCTOBER -- Cards for Card Buffet, Oct. 19th

Hi All. 

I came to a realization 2 years ago.  If I have Card Buffets in November or December, no one shows up.  We all get crazily busy around the holidays and I'm just going to save myself the stress and frustration by doing my Christmas Cards in October and very early November.  Please know I'm willing to schedule home parties during this time, just not my usual open-ended events.  I'm going to try to stay sane and devote my crafting time to helping Aaron with HIS Christmas projects.  :>) 

To that end, here are the designs I've come up with for the Christmas season this year. Please note, I'm listing them by the event at which I plan to use them.

Cards for my CARD BUFFET -- October 19th, 7pm until Midnight, Oxnard 

Please let me know if you'd like to come.  Each card will be $1.50 if you bring your own double-sided tape.  $2.00 if not (or buy a SNAIL from me for $7.00.  Refills are only $4.95!).

Sometimes I feel as if gold tones are overused for Christmas, so I wanted to make a card which used silver instead.  I used the Stampin' Up! Brushed Silver cardstock for this one and the new silver mini-brads.  I also used the new stamp set, "Watercolor Winter," as well as the, "More Merry Messages" set.

I try to make something out of the ordinary for at least one of my Christmas Cards.  Here's my "Outside the Box" card for 2012.    I used the "Good Cheer" roller with the "Merry Minis" stamp set and their matching punches.  Different.  I like it though.

Here's the inside

This is FAR easier than it looks.  A little time consuming, but it turns out really pretty.  I used our new Core'dinations Cardstock in Early Espresso and Gumball Green with my sander and some Victoria ribbon as well as the Candlelight Christmas Designer Series Paper.

This will only make sense to you if you live in Sunny SoCal.  ;>)  I used my, "My Digital Studio" program to print up appropriate wishes for the inside. 

 

Here's the Gumball Green Core'dintions cardstock used with a different embossing folder.  I used the 3 colors of our Glimmer paper for the "Light bulbs".  Maybe a few fewer in future cards.  I believe I may have gotten a bit overenthusiastic. 

Simple  with embossing, paper piercing, and coloring with the aquapainters.  I know it's difficult to see from the picture, but there are 4 tiny rhinestones in the corners.  The stamp set is, "Christmas Blessings".