This month’s project from Ashley Campbell is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.  Enjoy!

Ashley writes:

I am a big fan of technology, but opening my inbox can never compare to how fun it is to open my mailbox and find a card from a friend. With December approaching I know the mailman will soon be dropping off Christmas cards from friends and I can’t wait to start displaying those. This month I wanted to share a very simple way to make your custom cards even more unique. By adding craft glitter and different types of string or ribbon you can make your cards really stand out. I used cards from the Mod Collection, the Tree Art Collection & the Simple Gifts Collection. I am also using the Simple Life blog boards for this post…I am a big fan of the blog boards!

For this project the process is very simple and the supplies are few. I’ll share some pictures and then give a few pointers at the end.

And some glimpses at the final products:

When customizing your cards with glitter, here are a few pointers:
1. Use craft glitter, not the standard glitter you can find everywhere. I used Martha Stewart’s glitter collection from Micheals. You can purchase just the color you need or an assortment of colors. I used both very fine glitter and the larger fleck glitter (shaped like a rectangle).

2. Use glue designed for glitter. This type of glue doesn’t run and can be very exact. I used squeeze bottle glitter glue for the dots. For lines and filling in areas I used a fine point glue pen. These can be purchased at craft stores or online. Again, I used the Martha Stewart versions.

3. When adding glitter to your cards remember “less is more”. Every area of the card does not need to be covered in glitter. You want to use the glitter to add a bit of sparkle, but not distract from the photographs.

4. After sprinkling glitter over the glue you can gently shake off excess. Once the glue is dry you can shake or wipe off any remaining glitter.

Notes on how to hang or display the cards:

1. I used ribbon, baker’s twine and a glitter covered clothespin.

2. You can attach the ties by punching a hole in the top of the card or you can use an exacto knife to cut a small slit in the top and slide the ribbon through.

3. An alternative to ribbon or twine is to use dressed up clothespins. The cards are lightweight enough the the clothespin can hold the card propped up or you can clip the card for hanging.

You could also use these templates to make banners or centers for a wreath. I included a picture of one with the letter “O”. It was printed as a 5×7 and I glued a paper doily to the back. This is an alternative way to use the templates for something like a monogrammed ornament.

I hope this helps get your mind reeling with ideas on ways to take your cards (holiday or otherwise) to a more sparkly level!