Joyful Christmas Gold Embossed Card

This card is so different than my typical style, but I was so pleased with how it came out.  I've been dusting off some of my old retired stamp sets that haven't seen a lot of ink lately, and it's been so much fun.  I love the look that the Musical Score background stamp gives to cards.  I would normally look at that stamp and think it had to be stamped in black on white or vanilla card stock.  But I thought just a tiny bit out of the box and embossed it with gold on black card stock, and the look is stunning.  In fact, I went a little crazy with the gold embossing on this card, but I don't think it would look as good if I hadn't carried the embossing throughout the entire card.  I love this card so much that I'm going to make a few more to send to the music lovers on my Christmas card list!

Stamps:  Joyful Christmas, Musical Score (retired), Christmas Punch (retired)
Ink:  VersaMark
Paper:  Naturals Ivory, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, and Always Artichoke card stock
Accessories:  Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Paper Snips, Decorative Label Punch, Crochet Ribbon, Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon

Winter Frost Circle Flip Cards

As I mentioned last week, I'll have a bazillion kids coming to my house this week to make all kinds of fun Christmas gifts.  These cards are one of the items they'll be making.  I didn't have enough supplies for all the kids to make the same thing, so half will be making the top one, and the other half will be making the bottom one.

Tips & Tricks

• These cards both use non-traditional Christmas colors, but I love them both.  I guess they are more of a winter look than a Christmas look, but a simple "Merry Christmas" on the front conveys the message. :)  Don't be afraid to use colors other than red and green!  It's good to think out of the box, but also nice that Stampin' Up!'s Designer Series Papers help you do that.  I was really surprised to discover that the gray card is one of my favorites this year.

• I mentioned on Friday how stamping tone-on-tone adds just the right amount of interest to one of the panels on a flip card.  Well, embossing does the same thing!  I put the extra flap on the right into the Northern Flurry embossing folder and fell in love with the look.  It's subtle, but perfect.  

Supplies
Stamps:  Christmas Punch (retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Silver Encore Ink and Basic Gray Classic Ink
Paper:  Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, and Whisper White card stock, Winter Frost DSP Stack
Accessories:  Big Shot, Circle Card Thinlits, Northern Flurry Embossing Folder, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

So, which card is your favorite?  Do you make Christmas cards that aren't red and green?