First, WOW! I just happened to open the Paper Craft Crew #386 Top Picks post on my way to this week’s challenge. I saw the three Top Picks and thought, wait, that’s my card! Honored! Completely honored! You can see that card here. As soon as I can figure out how to add the Top Pick badge to my blog I will do that. Thank you again!

This week’s Freshly Made Sketches 488 sketch is most definitely clean and simple. For some reason, as soon as I saw the sketch, I knew exactly what I needed to create.

Here’s my card:

Here’s the challenge banner:

Hopefully, you’ve seen Elf and knew right away to which movie this card refers. My DH and DD had no idea. I later found out neither of them have seen the movie. However, my niece has seen the movie and she recognized it immediately.

A Really Clean and Simple Card

FMS challenge sketches always have a CAS layout. For my card today, I completely followed the CAS format with a card which requires very few supplies. I used the Brights and Regals 6 x 6 DSP, some white and black cardstock, two die sets (but you could really get away with just one), a scrap of gold foil, a scrap piece of white cardstock, and the Christmas Means More stamp set. That’s it.

Measurements and Directions

• I used white cardstock for the card base cut at 4-1/4 inches by 11 inches and scored at 5-1/2 inches.
• There is a black cardstock mat measuring 4-1/4 inches by 5-1/2 inches.
• In order to easily create the card front, I trimmed a piece of the Daffodil Delight DSP to 4-1/8 inches by 5-3/8 inches. I used multipurpose glue to attach this to the black cardstock mat.
• I used Garden Green DSP for the top part of the card. First, I trimmed it to 3 inches by 6 inches. Next, I used my paper trimmer to cut it on a diagonal. I didn’t really measure it, rather I thought since Elf’s coat is longer than the tights, I needed more green than yellow. I used some gold Wink of Stella to very lightly paint gold on the green, again mimicking the pattern on Elf’s coat. However, the gold doesn’t show up well at all, but I am ok with that. I adhered the green piece to the top of the Daffodil Delight base.
• My scrap piece of gold foil was cropped using the middle square of the Stitched Shapes die set. I had a scrap piece of black cardstock and I trimmed it down to just shy of the height of the gold foil belt buckle. This makes the black belt 1-1/2 inches wide. Then I ran the belt through my Big Shot in the Subtle 3D embossing folder. This piece did not have to be cut on the diagonal, which would have required too much measuring. After adhering the belt following the Garden Green diagonal line, I simply had to trim off the overhang.
• Finally, I adhered the buckle directly on the belt.

Finishing Up

• This Elf sentiment, from the Christmas Means More stamp set, available in the August – December mini-catalog, is just too perfect! The set also includes quotes from Miracle on 34th Street, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful Life. The Grinch is my favorite quote from the illustrated movie I’ve seen for many, many years on tv.
• I stamped the sentiment on white cardstock and cropped it using a die from the Stitched Rectangle die set. This rectangle is the only element on the card popped up on dimensionals.
• While I could’ve used any Christmas sentiment on the inside, I chose “Hoping that your busy year comes together in Christmas Cheer” from the Perfectly Plaid stamp set, which carried over from last year.
• So that the inside wasn’t just plain, I trimmed a piece of Garden Green and Daffodil Delight DSP to 4-1/4 inches. The Daffodil Delight strip measures 1/2 inch high, and the Garden Green measures 3/4 inch high. I placed the yellow DSP on the middle of the green DSP and adhered it to the bottom of the card.
• Finally, I trimmed a piece of Daffodil Delight DSP to 6 inches by 2-1/2 inches for the envelope flap. After adhering and trimming the flap DSP, I’d finished this card/envelope set.

Looking at this long list, I realized that you might look at it and think that the card is anything but simple. However, it truly qualifies as a clean and simple, easy-peasy card. I hope you give it a try!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. I’d also love to hear what you think, and greatly appreciate every comment.

Have a Peachy Day!

Sue

Colors Used:

Supplies Used:

Have a Look at the August – December Mini-Catalog in the Video Below:

Do You Want to Place an Order?

Of course you do! Even more so because of the products in the NEW catalog. This NEW catalog is FABULOUS!!  Wait until you see the new MINI-CATALOG!! Stay tuned for sneak peeks of those items! I’ll be using some new mini-catalog items for the Pals blog hop on Wednesday! The theme this month is favorite season. My favorite season is any time there isn’t humidity. A cool breeze or cooler temperatures, which is relative depending on where you live, is always welcome! Therefore, creating a card presents a bit of a dilemma, but I think I have figured it out.

If you are ordering less than $150.00, please use the host code shown. If you are ordering more than $150.00, please contact me first so you can get your stamping rewards!  I want YOU to get the stamping rewards you earn for your order over $150.00 Any order over $50 will earn a gift from me and an August – December mini-catalog. 

The HOST CODE for August  is F6DZNRCX.

Again, thank you for stopping by my blog today!  I appreciate your time, and enjoy reading, and responding to, comments.