Northern Hearts | The Maui Stamper

I like to have a healthy stash of gift tags long before I start my Christmas shopping. You could consider it a security blanket; if I have the tags, the packages will follow. I mail a lot of gifts (thank you USPS for Flat Rate Boxes!!) and they need to be purchased, wrapped and tagged before they’re mailed.

I had a few extra tags from the Two Tags die sitting on my DISASTROUSLY messy desk and started to play with the Tags Til Christmas stamp set:

Northern Hearts, Jolly Old Saint Nick and Tags Til Christmas stamp sets
Riding Hood Red and Naturals Ivory card stock
Vellum and Deck the Halls Designer Series paper
Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write marker and Frost White Shimmer paint
Ornament and XL Decorative Label punches; Blender pen
Hemp twine and Linen thread

I inked “Merry Christmas” on the sentiment from Saint Nick and stamped it on the vellum, then set it aside to dry for a while. For some reason I find the red inks take longer to dry – must be something to do with the pigment – and the vellum makes them slower still. I trimmed it to a long strip and then set it in place over the Designer Series paper before I punched the ornament shape. A couple of drops of Tombo the Wonder Adhesive hold it in place.

On the inside…OH! Here:

As I was saying…on the inside I just stamped a few more of those cheery little snowflakes from Northern Hearts and added that snazzy XL Decorative Label. I inked the stamp in Espresso and Blender penned (yes, it’s a word, I just made it up) the ink off the branches so I could marker it back in Artichoke. I painted the tops of the pine cones with lots of Frost White to look like piled up snow. We do have some pine trees (and cones) growing on Maui, but snow – well, not so much. You have to imagine that part.

Even though it’s still September, it’s time to have a little Christmas Speak Peek. After all, there are some pretty fabulous Christmas goodies in that Holiday Mini Catalog – wouldn’t you agree?? There are so many choices but there was no question in my mind regarding where to start for Christmas. Have you seen the Letterpress plates??

Big Shot and Joyful Season Letterpress Plate
Watercolor paper; Real Red and Old Olive cardstock
Real Red and Old Olive Craft Ink Spots
Frost White Shimmer Paint and the Aquapainter
Paper Piercing Tool, Template and Mat
Scallop Trim Border punch
Real Red 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon

Can I get an Ooooo and an Aaahhh?? The heart-breaker here is that my photography doesn’t begin to do this technique justice. The images aren’t just inked into the paper, they are truly pressed. If you flip the paper over you can clearly see the reverse image, and that deep impression gives this card a very luxe look when you hold it in your hand. The Frost White Shimmer paint was applied directly onto the image full strength with the Aquapainter for a little extra bling on the stockings – you can just see it at the tops of the two outside stockings, but it’s also on the stripes of the middle one. (Dang. I am going to have to spend good stamp money on a camera. Double Dang.)

By the way, the dimensions for this card are 3 1/4 by 6 1/2 inches as you see it, and yes we do have envelopes for that size (#107286, $7.50 for 20, page 171 in the IBC). This is a Christmas card that will truly turn heads!

And now for something a little different:

Northern Hearts Level I Hostess Set (Holiday Mini)
Big Shot and Northern Trim Letterpress Plate
Watercolor Paper; Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise Classic ink pads
Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise Craft ink spots
Scallop Border Trim and Ornament punches
1 and 1 1/4 inch circle punches
Basic rhinestone jewels and Linen Thread

I’ll be mailing Christmas gifts to my oldest daughter in Australia this year. It’s gonna be tough – this is the first time one of my keiki will not be home on Christmas morning. In case you haven’t checked, postage overseas is kind of expensive, so our gifts to her will be of the “Good Things Come In Small Packages” sort. This flat little box will ship very nicely, and I have a pretty good idea of what I’m putting inside. Can’t say, of course – she does check the blog, although I suspect both she and her sister check in just to see if I’ve said anything about them 🙂

I love all the bling on this package. Those Basic Rhinestone Jewels and Pearls are such fun to use, and I swear that for every two I pull off the sheet, one grows back in their place. These aren’t exactly your traditional Christmas colors, but I was inspired to go really bright with this project. Hmmm…since this will be an Aussie package, I guess they are non-traditional Christmas Colours.