"But I'm not a Christmas Set!"

All this blogging must really be subconscious procrastination of my endless list of projects, including: our own family Christmas Cards (to make, address, write in, take pictures for, and mail), gifts, thank you notes, club projects, etc. But, what the heck ... I want to post a few non-Christmas-sets. I just love when I learn how to use a stamp set in an "out-of-the-clamshell-case" kind of way. This is a case of a card by detour3 on scs. There is a gold embossed sentiment inside.
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STAMP SET: DOODLE THIS; INK: VERSAMARK; CARDSTOCK: HANDSOME HUNTER, REAL RED, BRUSHED GOLD; ACCESSORIES: CORNER NOTCH PUNCH, GOLD EP, BRADS.

Christmas Card*inal, Take 4

This was our Stamp Club project from last night ... and my last take on a Cardinal Christmas for a while. I've been truly inspired by this set, and have used it SO MUCH. It's one of those absolute classics for me - I hope it makes it into the new catalog! For this technique, stamp the holly image in VersaMark on a Pacific Point panel, dust with Winter White Embossing Powder, and use the heating tool to set the embossing powder. Then, appy VersaMark over the entire panel, and emboss with Irridescent Ice Embossing Powder. It's so beautiful & shimmery in real life!**************************************
STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS; INK: VERSAMARK, BAJA BREEZE; CARDSTOCK: BAJA BREEZE, PACIFIC POINT, WHISPER & SHIMMERY WHITE; ACCESSORIES: TICKET CORNER PUNCH, VINTAGE BRADS, JOIN THE CHEER DECORATIVE STRIP DIE

Christmas Card*inal, Take 3

Here's a suprisingly lovely no-layer card. The reverse masking technique and tear of the right-hand edge give it dimension that belies the fact that there are no layers to this card. I threw a bunch of these together for a door prize.

For the reverse masking, make a mask by cutting an oval out of the center of a card-front sized piece of scrap cardstock. Place this mask on your cardfront, and hold in place while you sponge Old Olive onto the card. Keeping the mask in place, stamp an image - I used the holly stamp and kept the Old Olive color light by stamping off once onto scrap, then stamping inside the oval. Then, just remove the mask, and stamp a focal image in a darker color on top.
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STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS
CARDSTOCK: NATURAL WHITE
INK: OLD OLIVE, BASIC BLACK
ACCESSORIES: OLD OLIVE POLYTWILL RIBBON