Good Sunday morning. My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. The inspiration site this week was South House Designs and I totally fell in love with the 2013 Christmas Stocking Round-Up. I’ve shown one of the precious vignettes below and there are several other color combinations. I especially loved the toy puppy and was inspired to place a tiny Christmas decoration in each of my stockings.
Here’s what I came up with.
I started by cutting and crimping two 3” x 1/2” strips of vanilla cardstock and one 3 3/4” x 3/4” to create the fireplace and mantle. I measured in 1/4” on each end of the mantle piece and miter cut the corners. I cut a 3” x 2 3/4” piece of cherry cobbler cardstock, scored in the brick lines using my leaf tool and leaf pad and attached it to the card base. I attached the fireplace pieces over the brick piece with mounting tape.
click on the photos to get a closer view
I cut out one piece of fresh cut grass to represent the fire and covered it with yellow stickles to create the sparkle of fire. When the stickles was dry I cut two sections layered one over the top of the other and attached it to the lower section of the fireplace. I cut one section of the rounded fence and attached in front of the fire with glossy accents.
I punched several pieces of pine branches and created an evergreen arrangement on the center of the mantle. I cut and attached a candle in the center of the arrangement and covered with red and yellow stickles. I punched and attached several 1/8” circles to the arrangement with glossy accents and covered them with red stickles to add sparkle. I cut out an oval frame in gold foil and attached over the gold embossed sentiment to create another homey holiday decoration for above the fireplace.
I cut two cats, colored them with antique linen and vintage photo ink using a mini applicator. The tiny sponge tipped applicator were made for PanPastel but work perfectly to apply and blend inks as well. I had to place one cat on the mantle since cats love perching on high places. Ask me how I know. 
I cut all the stocking pieces and assembled using glossy accents. I cut and assembled the train engine and snowman. I cut and sponged brown ink on the gingerbread boy and using a tiny brush painted his decorative features with white watercolor paint. I almost needed a stronger pair of reading glasses to create these tiny toy pieces. LOL!
I attached the toys and a few pieces of pine to each stocking and attached them to the fireplace with mounting tape for the final finishing touch. This piece took lots of time and was lots of work but I love how it turned out. It definitely invites you “home for Christmas”.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you are enjoying your weekend and that you have a chance to get crafty.
Stamps: Impression Obsession Christmas Trees (sentiment) Paper: Stampin’ Up! Season of Style, Cherry Cobbler, Gold Foil, Marigold Morning, Black, Vanilla, Olive, Kraft Ink: Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Antique Linen Accessories: Memory Box Cheerful Stockings, A Batch of Gingerbread, Train Set, Mini Snowmen, Rounded Fence, Bright Lanterns (candle), Impression Obsession Cat Set, My Favorite Things Fresh Cut Grass, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Spellbinders Classic Ovals, Crimper, Fiskars 1/8” Circle Punch, Sizzix Accessory Tool Kit, Versa, Gold Embossing Powder, Sofft Mini Applicator, Yellow Stickles, Red Stickles, White Watercolor Paint, Brush, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape, Glossy Accents, Glue Dots, Mounting Tape, Paper Piercer , Metal Adapter Plate , ATG , Big Shot , Teflon Bone Folder , Guillotine Paper Cutter
This is perfect. So cozy. Great way to do the flames.
Wow Fantastic, that is a lot of die cutting but I just love the display on the fireplace, the fence is terrific for the grate and like the coloring of the cats too, the sentiment put above the fireplace is just terrific!!
Great card. Can tell you’ve put a lot of thought and work into making it. Edna
Oooh Kittie, this is absolutely fabulous!!
A pleasure to look at the cosy scene.
And so really to. Wonderful!
Have a nice Sunday Kittie,
Hugs Eva.
Kittie, I wanted yet to say, your scenes are technically so good!
I learn so much from you, Thank you!
Wow, beautiful card!
I love that each of your cards is a peek into another place, a complete scene. And I love your technique for applying ink – looks like real cat fur.
So very beautiful
hugs Linda
Oh my, Kittie, you have outdone your self. This is spectacular and thanks so much for all the directions. There are so many details on this card that catch the eye. Love it.
What a wonderful scene. The flames are beautiful and whole card is simply great.
OMG ! so so wonderful !
xx
Kittie, you are simply amazing! How do you keep coming up with these ideas?!
Simply stunning, Kittie! Love the brick work in the fireplace – just fabulous. I love everything about this card – well worth the time and effort.
Kitty, what a creative way to make a fireplace mantel! Also, I never would have thought to use a grass die to make flames! You’re the best, and I look forward to your posts.
Beautiful card. What clever uses of your dies. I love the grass ‘fire’ and gate. 😀
Kittie, this is stunning! I love the card as well as the inspiration photo — I really want a mantel, we have a naked fireplace wall. Of course if I had my way I’d have about a gazillion stockings — quilted, needlepointed, etc. ANYWAY. I hope Memory Box pays you! And I would love to know how you store all your MB dies! AND you have definitely gotten more out of the pine branch punch than I could ever imagine possible! You remain one of my idols!
Kittie, I keep thinking that you have done your most clever card idea and then bingo, you come out with something new. This is beyond cute. I am so loving this card and now I have to go buy more dies…..LOL… Thank you for sharing……
This card is beautifully amazing! WOW!!! Thank you for sharing all the details of making this card. I love to make scenery cards and canvas art, this piece is very inspiring. Great creative technique using the fence for the fire grate and the grass for the flames. So many inspiring beautiful details in this card.
Jacquelene L
Canada
What a wonderful holiday card Kittie! Love every detail!
Kittie, which die did you use for the kitty’s?
Holy cow!!! You created a fascinating replica of the image. Oh, how beautiful!!! And those cats sure add life to your gorgeous card. TOTALLY OUT OF THIS WORLD.
What a neat and incredibly made card! You have so much talent and it shows in every card you make! Thank you for sharing all that you do. I love it and yes, learn from it also! Hugs…Diane
OMG….this is amazing Kittie….over the top detail…..how smart of you to make the fire with the grass punch..Who would have thought of that.
Love all the stocking stuffers. Perfect coloring and shading on those cats…they truly come alive. And the wrought iron fence for the fireplace.
You thought of it all….that is a great creative mind you are carrying around in your head. Thanks for all you do.
Ooooo, this is too cute! I LOVE the kitties! And the cute little stocking stuffers…ADORABLE!!! BTW, I received the package this past week…Tuesday, I think. What a gorgeous bunch of ribbons! Thank you again! 🙂
Your projects are always amazing! You make everything with so much love!
Good afternoon, Kittie. you are amazing. What a lovely homely Christmas scene. Just gorgeous how you brought things together. Love it, love it…..hugs
Gorgeous! Love how you made flames from a grass die and fireplace screen from a fence. Fun to see them used in different ways. Also the cats in the scene.
if you could bottle your creativity it would make me very happy! I’d be your first customer. love this!
Impression Obsession Die Cut
Kittie, I LOVE this! And the best part is the “orange” cats! Everything in this card is just perfect…and beautiful! This is SO delightful!!! Thanks for sharing.