Holiday Hospitality

Before we get into today's card, I want to invite you all to join me in the 

Santa's Naughty Helper Challenge!  

Click HERE for all the details.

This week’s theme over at Card A Day Blog is “Christmas Thank You Cards” and as today’s featured designer, I pulled out some “oldies, but goodies” to create my card.

We always want to thank our hosts for inviting us over for a holiday party…literally opening their door to welcome us into their home. I’ve had this pediment door stamp for a loooong time, but it’s a classic and was perfect for my idea of the open door.

The Details:

• The card itself does not open; it’s more a postcard format with a bonus! The base is cardstock layered with My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found “Christmas” patterned paper. The edges of the cardstock are inked with Old Olive, Forest Moss, and just a touch of Barn Door Distress Inks. The patterned paper also has just a touch of these inks added. 
• A strip of coordinating patterned paper cut with decorative scissors and punched with tiny holes forms a lacy strip. On top of that, some gorgeous embroidered ribbon adds elegance and is the basis for tying the colors of the card together. 

• The door was stamped on cream cardstock in StazOn “Jet Black”. It’s important to use a waterproof ink here…either StazOn or Archival. Pumice Stone and Brushed Corduroy Distress Stains were randomly brushed on the image. Do not completely color in, just touches of color here and there. 
• Next the door was colored with Barn Door and Crushed Olive (wreath) Distress Ink and a water pen. Let dry or use a heat tool to dry. 
• Using a craft knife, the door was cut around three sides so that it would “open”. The “inside” of the door was completely colored using Aged Mahogany Distress Stain. The pediment door was fussy cut from the cream cardstock. 
• Using my laser printer, I printed “Thank You for Your Hospitality” on red cardstock and layered it behind the pediment door image so that when you open the door you see the greeting. 

• After adhering the door assembly to the card face with foam tape, I got out the Stickles and went to town! The wreath features Lime Green, Xmas Red, and Peeled Paint Distress.   A brass brad "door knob" adds a nice touch, don't you think?

•  I wanted the appearance of icicles hanging from the pediment roof, so I swiped a little Picket Fence Distress Stain and added a thick application of Old Paper Distress Stickles to the roof line. While that was still wet, I added dots of Icicle Stickles and then used a pin to drag them down like real icicles. 

• As the finishing touch, I used Alcohol Inks to tone down the bright colors on a sprig of holly and antique up an enamel brad and adhered both, along with a organza ribbon, to the face of the card.

Just one more thing I want to share with you today...have you heard of Blitsy? 

It's a brand new site that offers deals on a variety of crafting supplies each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  I've already scored some pretty great deals...like the Tim Holtz Limited Edition Winter Distress Ink collection for only $9.95 and Stickles for only $1.49!! Visit HERE to get all the details.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink ‘Spring Moss’; Stampin’ Up! ‘Naturals Ivory’
Pattern Paper: My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found ‘Christmas’
Stamps: PSX ‘Colonial Christmas’
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Crushed Olive’, ‘Old Paper’, Barn Door’, ‘Forest Moss’; Distress Stain ‘Pumice Stone’, ‘Brushed Corduroy’, ‘Aged Mahogany’; StazOn ‘Jet Black’; Alcohol Ink ‘Latte’, ‘Ginger’
Embellishments: Stickles ‘Lime Green’, ‘Xmas Red’, ‘Crystal’; Distress Stickles ‘ Old Paper’, ‘Peeled Paint’; holly sprig; ribbon; SU! brad; The Girls’ Paperie brad ‘On Holiday’
Tools: Scotch precision cutter; water pen; foam and felt ink blending tools; Glossy Accents; decorative scissors; hole punchhttp://blitsy.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/8467/