It’s Christmas in July at Sparkles Monthly!

Card Kits, Christmas, Food and/or Drink items, Holidays, Seasons, Taylored Expressions, Winter

Hello friends! Have you’ve been enjoying the month of July so far? We finally got some rains, but now it’s humid and warmer. That’s OK because it’s always warm this time of year anyway and a great time for crafting indoors with the air conditoning!

Today starts up a new challenge for the Sparkles Forum Monthly Challenge Blog with the theme: Christmas in July! It’s a favorite for many card makers this month so that they can get an early start on those Christmas cards without having to wait last minute to get them all done. I don’t have an outrageous amount to send out, but I do like to donate and I have done 5 Christmas so far! So if you’re up for it, make a Christmas card and join the gallery at the challenge! Here’s the card that I’ve made:

There’s nothing like the smell of peppermint for Christmas (for me anyway!)  I had gotten this Candy Cane Lane card kit from Taylored Expressions last year and never really used it, so I thought this would be a good time to pull it out.

In the set, there came this cover plate die and I cut it out in the following, gold mirror, white glitter and white cardstock in A2 sizes.  I paper pieced each one over an A2 sized white card base front.  I added some light blue ink blending around the edges and bottom of the center panel and stamped a few “snowflakes” in the same color.

I die cut the candy canes and leaves and ink blended/stenciled those stacked together.  I used a white gel pen for the highlight over the canes, added a gold cord bow and some gold drip drops for the “berries”.  There was a stamp set with sentiments that I stamped out in red and then went over top of it with VersaMark ink so that I could emboss some Peppermint smelling embossing powder over it…that’s where the smell of peppermint came in for me!  I die cut it out with the coordinating die and glued it at the bottom of the candy canes.

Hope you can join the challenge with your Christmas cards this month!  Thanks so much for dropping in today!

Challenges:

  1. Sparkles Christmas – Include Gold
  2. Merry Little Christmas – Anything Christmas Goes
  3. Get Creative – Christmas in July
  4. Craft Rocket – Christmas in July
  5. Most Magical Time of the Year – ATG Christmas/Halloween optional:  Christmas in July
  6. Christmas Craft Creations – Christmas in July007July
  7. Little Red Wagon – Christmas or New Year?  (I hardly ever send out New Year cards)
  8. Krafty Chicks – Christmas
  9. CRAFT – Christmas
Published

32 thoughts on “It’s Christmas in July at Sparkles Monthly!”

  1. That cover plate die in gold mirror and white glitter looks fantastic, Vicky. Love the candy canes too.
    xxx Margreet

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  2. Wow Vicki, the details you put into making this card are just amazing. To imagine it even smells like peppermint makes it so special! I love your added white gel pen highlights too on those candy canes. Oddly enough, just last night I had a craving for a candy cane, isn’t that the strangest thing to have in July? LOL This is outstanding and simply beautiful! Every detail is just amazing and wonderful! Stay cool!

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  3. WOW absolutely gorgeous Christmas card. Love the gold die cut layer framing the terrific candy cane. The addition of the bells and gold bakers twine is a wonderful addition to the card.

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  6. As always an absolutely stunning make,the frame is beautiful around your fabulous candy cane focal point,

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  8. That’s magnificent, Vicki! I love the sparkle and the shiny metallic paper. The way you’ve done the layers and inlays is fantastic! I can only imagine the peppermint scent. Mmmmmm

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  10. WOW fabulous Christmas card love the peppermint sticks and to actually have peppermint smelling embossing powder that is over and above lol.Love all the sparkle and the beautiful cover die-brilliant
    Carol x

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  12. So super cute, Vicki, I can smell the minty from here! Brilliant that it’s also scented, and I love that sparkle with the gold! Thanks so much for playing at Sparkles!

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  13. Gorgeous Christmas card Vicki, love the candy canes with the holly and they’re coloured beautifully, and the shine and sparkle on your frame is beautiful..

    Luv CHRISSYxx

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  15. Gorgeous card, background and coloring, as always a pleasure to view. Lovely details here x

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  19. So many beautiful details to take in! Love the gold berries and twine to go with that fancy frame. Thanks for sharing with us at Krafty Chicks!

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  20. This is such an elegant card.
    Thank you so much for entering our challenge this week at CRAFT Challenge looking forward to see you again next challenge.
    Hugs Sheryl CRAFT DT xx

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  21. Are you serious about the peppermint embossing? That is so awesome! Your card has a great layout and the blue really caught my eye – just a really pretty card all around.

    As for July – another day over 100. Just miserable.

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  23. What a beautiful Christmas card! Loving the card kit design and how you created this with the gold cardstock frame and glittery papers – just gorgeous 😊. I hope you are keeping well and thanks for the inspiration my friend! Big hugs, Jo x

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  24. Super fun and beautiful holiday card. The gold frame is a lovely touch. And candy canes make such a great addition to any Christmas card. Nice to get a head start on holiday cards too.

    Hugs
    Sue

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  25. That frame is so beautiful, LOVE those candy canes! So glad you joined us at Get Creative Challenges!

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  27. You did say peppermint scented EP right??? I doubt if I would get much done using scented EP – as I would be sitting and enjoying the aromas. Love the candy canes, colored so beautifully. But Christmas in July – not quite there yet.

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  28. That sparkly golden frame is so perfect with your beautiful candy canes, Vicki!! Such a beautiful Christmas design!!

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  29. WOW! Stunning Christmas card, Vicki. I adore her. The background with delicate snowflakes, without excess, creates a very elegant space for these beautiful candy canes. This card is perfect!

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  30. Fabulous! Just wish I could smell the peppermint embossing powder too!!

    Thanks for joining us at Christmas Craft Creations.

    Helen x
    DT

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