Hello, and welcome to the Holiday II Essentials by Ellen Release Hop! I’ll be showcasing several of the new stamp sets and dies on my post today (and so will a lot of very talented designers!) ... AND there's a giveaway, so keep reading!
GIVEAWAY
I get to give away an Essentials by Ellen stamp set -- the winner may chose ANY Essentials by Ellen brand stamp set (maximum value $15) currently in stock at Ellen Hutson.com! To enter my giveaway, please leave a comment on today’s post with a valid email address by October 27th! (This giveaway is now closed and the winner will be announced Friday, Oct 30 over at the CLASSroom blog). Thank you so much for your very kind comments and for entering!
There is also a crazy good Grand Giveaway in the CLASSroom! To enter, be sure to leave a comment there, also by October 27th with a valid email address. Winners will be announced at the CLASSroom on Friday, October 30th!
PROJECT #1
(All bold products are linked below in the supply section. Click on any photo for a larger view.)
My first project uses Julie's fun new Advent stamps with her new Santa's Flight stamp set, to create Advent envelopes:
I'll be displaying these envelopes on a clothespin frame (you see in the background), that I made a few years ago. Here's a view of the envelopes hanging on the lower part of the 20" x 26" frame:
The fronts of the envelopes were stamped mostly in Memento Tuxedo Black with Julie's darling new Santa's Flight stamp set. The Santa and reindeer are a separate stamp from the Special Delivery info -- I just lined them both up on an acrylic block together and that made it easy to stamp them all at once. I omitted inking the slashed lines with black ink and inked them separately with Memento Rhubarb Stalk marker.
The Advent numbers were stamped separately afterwards with Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink -- they were the perfect size to fit on the delivery date line! The red envelope was stamped similarly, using Ranger Glacier White Pigment Ink and Memento Tuxedo Black marker:
I still have a few more envelopes to finish ... it's a good thing I started early! ;-)
To make the envelopes:
I used We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board, using the first 2" x 3-1/2" gift card size and used Neenah Desert Storm and Solar White, and Bazzill Peppermints cardstock.
Inside the envelopes:
You could put a variety of different things in these little envelopes -- Bible verses, encouraging notes, money, flat ornaments, fun family holiday activities to do together (caroling, build a snowman, bake cookies, drink hot cocoa while watching your favorite holiday movie), clues to find little gifts around your house, etc ... the possibilities are endless!
I chose to fill the envelopes with these cute Christmas jokes for kids free download printable I found HERE. I figured a fun pun-y joke is a good way to start any day of the holiday season (for any age)!
I just printed the jokes onto Neenah Solar White cardstock (80 lb), cut them apart, and put one into each envelope ... they are the perfect size!
PROJECT #2
Julie's previous existing Christmas Scribbles stamp set now has convenient coordinating Christmas Scribbles dies ... and I utilized a lot of them on this watercolored card!
The background was watercolored with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink on watercolor paper. I stamped the pine branches in lighter Evergreen Bough Distress Ink over the watercolored background, then stamped the branch again on watercolor paper using darker Pine Needles Distress Ink and die cut it. Next, I used a waterbrush to go over the stamped pine image and spread the color around a little, to achieve a lovely watercolored look. I did the same with the little pinecones (stamped in Gathered Twigs Distress Ink) and red flower (stamped in Festive Berries Distress Ink) -- which I'm sure was probably intended to be a snowflake but I think it also works as a flower! The pine cones and flowers were also die cut and all the die cut images popped up on X-Press It Foam Tape.
To finish the card, the watercolored panel was attached to a top folding Neenah 110 lb Solar White card base using X-Press It 1/2" Tissue Tape (it is super strong, to hold the heavier watercolor paper and keep it from buckling). The little snowflakes were stamped in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and Clear Wink of Stella glimmer added to the pine branch, pinecones, and flower centers. The sentiment was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black into onto more watercolor paper, cut into a banner shape, popped up on foam tape, and the "merry" word watercolored with Festive Berries Distress Ink.
Here's a look at this entire new Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2 Release (click on the photo below to see larger image in the store):
BLOG HOP
Next on the hop is the amazing Karolyn Loncon!
If you get lost along the hop, please visit this CLASSroom blog post for a complete list of all the designer links.
Happy hoppin’!
SUPPLIES
{New Essentials by Ellen Holiday Release 2 products used on today's projects}
{Advent Envelopes}-----------------------------------------
{Merry Little Christmas Scribbles Card}--------------
Beautiful. I would love to have any of them
Posted by: Elvira Coscia Schawel | October 20, 2015 at 08:21 AM
I love it! This is my fave set of the release! TFS
Posted by: Dolly | October 20, 2015 at 08:22 AM
I am loving those Christmas Scribbles, great projects!
Posted by: Laura Crandall Greig | October 20, 2015 at 08:51 AM
Both projects are just gorgeous. Great colour combination for each of them, though so different from each other! Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Creative regards from stempelfrida
Posted by: stempelfrida | October 20, 2015 at 09:06 AM
cute ideas
Posted by: 1aquagirl | October 20, 2015 at 09:07 AM
I love the look of your watercolor wash on that card. It adds such a subtle beauty to the design. These Essentials are really fabulous--and need I say, essential? So many wonderful designs! kReN
Posted by: kReN kurts | October 20, 2015 at 09:07 AM
Love the envelopes! So cute!
Posted by: Aubrey | October 20, 2015 at 09:09 AM
The envelopes are fantastic. Love the card!
Posted by: Janet Cobb | October 20, 2015 at 09:11 AM
That card is so adorable. I absolutely LOVE the colors you chose. Thank you for the inspiration!
Posted by: Mel | October 20, 2015 at 09:21 AM
Super ideas...thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Hope Mitchell | October 20, 2015 at 09:22 AM
Love your techniques and ideas!
Posted by: Laura Holt | October 20, 2015 at 09:23 AM
Such fun cards!
Posted by: Kate | October 20, 2015 at 09:26 AM
Such FUN projects! Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Nancy Ward | October 20, 2015 at 09:27 AM
Oh my word Sharon you are BRILLIANT! What an awesome idea to make Advent envelopes! I could do this for my young grandsons! (IF I had those stamps, of course.) What a beautiful card also. I love your work as you always have such great ideas! TFS!
(My email addy is: [email protected])
Posted by: Teresa | October 20, 2015 at 09:27 AM
Beautiful and I am LOVING your first project. What fun! Ab fab! tfs hugs, Kristina
Posted by: Kristina (CraftyPaws) | October 20, 2015 at 09:30 AM
Love your Advent calendar idea and your beautiful card!
Posted by: JanetB | October 20, 2015 at 09:38 AM
Great treatments of the stamps! TFS
donna
Posted by: dmc4042 | October 20, 2015 at 09:39 AM
The Advent Envelopes are soooo clever! And the card is beautiful. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Posted by: Miriam Leech | October 20, 2015 at 09:40 AM
Your Advent envelopes are so clever. My grandchildren would love opening up those jokes! Well done!
Posted by: Trish | October 20, 2015 at 09:40 AM
Great ideas and I love the soft colors in your card.
Posted by: Kimberly H | October 20, 2015 at 09:42 AM
Gorgeous projects! Love the framed advent calendar idea!!! Thanks for the chance to win the stamp set! How exciting!!! My email address is : janet@swofford Swofford.com
Posted by: Janet Swofford | October 20, 2015 at 09:44 AM
Love the advent calendar!
Posted by: Debbie Selby | October 20, 2015 at 09:48 AM
Beautiful card!! Nice use of watercolors.
Posted by: Amber McGary | October 20, 2015 at 09:48 AM
Beautiful. tfs!
Posted by: Happy Expressions | October 20, 2015 at 09:54 AM
I love your projects! Advent envelopes-great idea!
Posted by: Lori B | October 20, 2015 at 10:08 AM
such fun projects!
Posted by: Pai Meng | October 20, 2015 at 10:08 AM
What wonderful cards. I am enjoying the hop. It's so fun to see the ideas and creations for this new release!
Posted by: Louise | October 20, 2015 at 10:10 AM
what a great idea for the calendar, so much fun for everyone!
Posted by: Karen D | October 20, 2015 at 10:11 AM
Absolutely love the creative advent calendar using jokes rather than candies!
Posted by: Jan O | October 20, 2015 at 10:15 AM
Fun ideas! Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Cathy Homan | October 20, 2015 at 10:16 AM
Your Advent envelopes are really great, love them. Also the card is so cute & creative!!!
Posted by: Gina | October 20, 2015 at 10:19 AM
What a wonderful array of samples you have created.
Posted by: Marie O | October 20, 2015 at 10:28 AM
Love the envelope calendar...so much easier than the 25 box one I did last year!
Posted by: Paula Munro | October 20, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Cute advent calendar!
Posted by: Karen B | October 20, 2015 at 10:37 AM
Great inspiration! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Amye | October 20, 2015 at 10:50 AM
Great idea
Posted by: Debbie Eslinger | October 20, 2015 at 10:57 AM
Such cute cards
Posted by: Janet | October 20, 2015 at 11:05 AM
I am loving the Christmas scribbles card......never would have thought to buy it but these ideas have changed my thinking
Posted by: Jean | October 20, 2015 at 11:06 AM
I love your advent envelopes. Finding little surprises to fit those envelopes would be so much easier than some of the tiny little doors and openings in most advent displays.
Posted by: pamboe | October 20, 2015 at 11:08 AM
Love the soft colors on your card. Very pretty.
Posted by: SUSAN JACOBS | October 20, 2015 at 11:14 AM
The advent envelopes are such a great idea! Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Rachel Bowers | October 20, 2015 at 11:15 AM
Your card is lovely with the non-traditional colors...but that advent calendar is awesome. So very clever.
Posted by: conil | October 20, 2015 at 11:19 AM
I love your advent calendar idea! Great card as well!
Posted by: Karen King | October 20, 2015 at 11:22 AM
Your projects are AMAZING!! Thanks for all the tips and the download of jokes, they will come in handy!!
Posted by: Janet D. | October 20, 2015 at 11:24 AM
Love doing advent calendars.
Posted by: Cheryl | October 20, 2015 at 11:27 AM
Awesome idea!! Love your card design! Maria
Posted by: Maria | October 20, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Those tags are just so fun! I really love the card too, the background and clustering is lovely.
Posted by: Miriam Prantner | October 20, 2015 at 11:32 AM
Love the Advent frame! Your card is beautiful, the distress inks are nice and bright, and I love that you used the snowflake as a flower - oh, and the extra festive berries ink highlighting the word merry, nicely done!
Posted by: Lady Fair | October 20, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Love the Advent idea! Thank you for the chance to win.
Posted by: Olga | October 20, 2015 at 11:45 AM
What a fun Advent idea - love the puns!
Posted by: 3kidmama | October 20, 2015 at 11:51 AM