{12 Weeks of Christmas} Week 3 -- Embrace the Negative!

What?!  No, no, this is a *positive* post about Christmas...

The fact is, when we use our Bigz dies, Framelits or punches, we're often left with the negative from which we cut our shape.  How about using the "negative" as the focal point, or key feature, of our project?

Here's what I mean.  A simple punch with the Decorative Label Punch leaves us with this delicious negative in which to showcase the Festive Designer Series Paper Stack (page 20, from the 2012 Holiday Catalog).  I am IN. LOVE. with this new DSP and will be using it in our family Christmas cards this year.  I love the color palette, the designs provided and since they're double-sided, there's a lot of variety.

This card features a color combination suggested by my Color Coach:  Island Indigo, Baja Breeze and Rich Razzleberry.  I used the Decorative Label Punch on my Rich Razzleberry (which I ran through my Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots EF).

**Studio Suggestion**:  Stampin' Dimensionals add the lift necessary to make the punched negative really stand out.

Since I have used a couple of layers of card stock, I'm able to use smaller pieces of my DSP and really stretch my supply.  This is a great and cost-effective way to make note cards for gifts (they'll be among my gifts this year!).

The sentiment, "My friend," is inked with my Island Indigo and Baja Breeze Stampin' Write markers and punched with the Curly Label punch.

A rhinestone and knot of Baja Breeze seam binding add a little {flair} to the project.

Here's another example:

Using the Lacy Brocade EF from the Holiday Catalog (page 6), I added a classic texture to the Not Quite Navy piece.

Very Vanilla seam binding has a bit of sheen which adds another nice classic touch.

The stamp from Tags til Christmas is created to fit the Decorative Label punch, but by using my Stampin' Dimensionals, the Very Vanilla card stock along the edge of the stamped image lends a bit of contrast.

I used my Jewelry Tag punch and the Tiny Tags stamp finish off the look.

Once again, the Color Coach guided me to choose the palette:  Not Quite Navy, Regal Rose and Very Vanilla.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Project #1:

Stamps:  Perfect Punches (W117022, C120516)

Papers:  Festival of Prints DSP Stack (Holiday Catalog, 126904), Rich Razzleberry (115316), Baja Breeze (111352) and Whisper White (100730) Card Stocks

Inks:  Island Indigo and Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Markers (Can be purchased in color family collections)

Accessories:  Big Shot (113439), Perfect Polka Dots EF (117335), Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon (122331), Decorative Label (120907), 3/16-inch Corner (119871) and Curly Label (119851) punches, Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246) and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Project #2:


Stamps:  Tags til Christmas (W120847, C121169), Tiny Tags (W118091, C118592)

Papers:  Not Quite Navy (101722), Regal Rose (105130) and Very Vanilla (101650) Card Stocks

Inks: Not Quite Navy (126971) and Regal Rose (126947) Classics

ccessories:  Big Shot (113439), Lacy Brocade EF (127819), Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon (120999), Decorative Label (120907), 3/16-inch Corner (119871) and Jewelry Tag (117190) punches, Linen Thread (104199) and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)