My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Sunday, April 21, 2013

A Vintage-Recycled Santa for Earth Day

Good Morning, dear Friends!


I admit it right from the start! This card is a total "cheater". 


  • Recycled Santa from last year's received store bought cards
  • trimmed with VersaMarker and Gold Tinsel embossing powder
  • added some SNS Green Iris glitz glitter throughout the fuzzies on Santa.
  • The pretty paper was already printed, so it was just distressed with ink.
  • The two Spellbinders die cuts were pieced together to accommodate the framed Santa Face.
  • My Mom's Gold Trim - it is at least 40 years old!




Inspired by the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, where Santa was to be the focal point on our cards, my card is terribly easy, right?

My card uses the sketch from Fetch a Sketch Challenge:


It's what I call a cheater card (giggle) - but I love recycling - repurposing beautiful art - do you?



Cheater though I am, this card is still submitted in the following wonderful on-line challenges!


  1. 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - #16 Santa Claus
  2. Joanna Sheen - Recycle Challenge (Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
  3. WOW Embossing Powder - Altered or Recycled - (recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes) also used Gold Tinsel EP around the recycled Santa panel.
  4. Jingle Belles Rock - Joy to the Earth - Recycle (recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
  5. Crimbo Crackers Christmas - #39 Vintage (Vintage Santa with traditional colors, vintage gold braid, and distressing on papers)
  6. Christmas Card Challenges - #21
  7. Catch The Bug - Bugaboo Bingo (bottom row= gold tinsel heat embossing, green iris glitter, K&Company designer paper)
  8. Crafty Hazel Nuts Christmas - #121 Red and Green Must be Seen (red all over, green holly)
  9. ABC Challenges (All Beautiful Cards) - Recycle ((recycled with Santa image, gold braid, white plastic snowflakes)
  10. Fetch-a-Sketch - #48 - follows sketch
  11. LAST MINUTE ENTRY BY INVITATION (4-23) - Crafty Hazel Nut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes Christmas (thank you, Hazel!)


Products Used:

SB Grand Labels Twenty Three
SB Decorative Labels Eight
SB Decorative Labels Twenty-seven
Sparkle N Sprinkle Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder
Sparkle N Sprinkle Green Iris Ultrafine Glitter
Inks: Old Paper dye, Fired Brick dye,VersaMarker Pen
Adhesives: Aileen's Quick Dry, Regular Scotch Tape, ZOTS
Papers: K&Company, White, recycled store bought Christmas Card
40-year-old gold braid from my Mom's stash, ribbon, snowflake

Happy Hugs,


48 comments:

perfectly4med said...

Seems it's never too early to start crafting for Christmas! Super makeover for this card :)

Thanks for joining in the WOW! Embossing Powder April Challenge and good luck!

Neil

Shona Erlenborn said...

Ho, ho, ho!! You are too cute Donna!
love what you did! Hey, you still used dies and bling - that counts just on its own!

Donna Maligno said...

Cheater or not, it's got your elegant "stamp" on it. Just love this idea, De!

~Tammy~ said...

Gorgeous! Love this recycled project!!!

Eret said...

Donna, I love your recycled card project. All this gold and glitter is so gorgeous. Fabulous christmas card.
Hugs
Eret

Sian Ridley said...

'upcylcing' is the way forward!! And is crafty people are the best people for it! :) it's important to use what you have and not let things go to waste just because they've been designed for something else! This is beautiful, I love the red and gold traditional feel to this card :)

brenda said...

Recycling is good Donna, especially when it looks this good and what a jolly happy Santa as well.

Hope you are keeping OK.

B x

Monica said...

Hello dear Donna,
Santa is popping out of this card... I cannot believe this is recycled. Such an awesome job you have done. That ribbon and frame add much charm to it.
I think I owe you an email... thanks for the the visits and kind words always. They make my day.
Much love,
M

Anne Temple said...

Love this recycled card! Santa never looked better!

Julie Z said...

That card front image is way to pretty to toss! How wonderful to give it another life (and use some of your mom's braid too!). Fabulous recycle!!

And Happy Earth Day De!

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Gorgeous design Donna. I think it's a fabulous idea to 're cycle' such a gorgeous image and you've just given me an idea, to use recycled xmas cards for mixed media collage work! thanks:) Love the layers, the sparkles and how you have brought him to life. The die cuts are beautiful and very creative how you made them fit!. Have a fab day, Shirleyx

Marisa Job said...

Love this card! What a great idea to recycle Christmas cards!!

Rosie Gustafson said...

What a beautiful recycled card. I just love how you used the image. Thank you for joining us at ABC Challenges. Hugs Xx Rosie

Candy's Creations Blog said...

Love the vintage Santa! Beautiful card and great way of "recycling"!

Candy's Creations Blog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Candy's Creations Blog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wendy H said...

Great card, Donna. That's how Santa should look, I think anyway. Good luck with the challenges. Wendy xx

KarinsArtScrap said...

this is very beautiful Donna.

greetings karin

Sue said...

Totally gorgeous card. To NOT reuse this gorgeous Santa would be a crime. Love the labels die and the gold too. LOVE HIM!

Hugs
Sue
Love your name Santa too.

Bernardine Cuttino said...

Oh, DE, this is an amazing vintage card. Beautiful dies and gold border. Perfect holiday card.
Hugs

Debi said...

Great card Donna! At least when you cheat, you do it well and with style!
Hugs
Debi

NanaConnie said...

WOW, De, what great recycling! Love the gold trim -- it's perfect for this card. And, of course, you're maintaining your title as the Glitter Queen. :-D This is absolutely marvelous!

creativearts said...

Wow! You picked a "hot" Santa -- he is so good looking! Great job on recycling! Now you are on your way to getting your Christmas cards ready for 2013!

SmilynStef said...

Love how you added glittery sparkle to santa ... so glad you joined us for earth day at jingle belles.

Nikki Craft said...

wow! Recycled..... what a brilliant idea :)
Its gorgeous....love all the sparkle.
Christmas already tho.... I can't wait to get mine started.... I will have more excuse for sparkle and bling :)
thank you so much for all of your lovely comments.... on your last you asked if I had coloured the pearls with my copics, well no they are prima pastel flourishes, but what a brilliant idea .... Thank you x
Nikki x

Unknown said...

Awesome card dear De, love what you did and I also think it's never too early to start out Christmas cards...
Thanks for your kind words, thoughts and email. Will try and email you tomorrow as not going to the hospital due to another reason...chat soon.xx

Karen M said...

Clever card and especially to include recycling! Love the layers!

Silvis Kreativstube said...

Hallo liebe Donna Ellis,
deine Recycling-Karte sieht genial aus. Eine wunderbare Idee es mit Embossingpulver zu verschönern. Ich bin begeistert. Vielen lieben Dank auch für den Besuch bei mir und den lieben Kommentar. Liebe Grüße Silvi

Hazel said...

Ho ho ho what a delightful vintage Santa card - thanks for entering my CHNC challenge 121 - you could also enter this into my CHNC challenge extra for April - I'd love to see it there too. x

Hazel said...

Thanks for also adding for my CHNC challenge extra for April - hope to see you again soon. x

Mynn xx said...

I don't thinks it's cheating at all! You still have to have a good eye to put the image with the elements and make it look spectacular! Which you did--this is stunning! Thanks for joining us at 52CCT! :)

Leslie Miller said...

Ummm, WOW! That's only the tiniest bit of cheating considering how much of your own excellent creativity you put into it. This beautiful image deserves to be recycled, and love how you shared it in recognition of Earth Day. Beautiful dies, paper, and ribbon, and, of course, your fabulous sparkle!

Sandra Wright. said...

Cheating or not,it is a fabby card...love how you have positioned santa,giving him an almost 3d effect...well that's how he looks to me and I love it.

Hugs
Sandie x

Sandra Wright. said...

Hi Donna
You asked what glue I use to keep the beads on my stick pins...I use Glossy Accents...brilliant stuff.

Hugs
Sandie x

lauren bergold said...

you say "cheater" i say "extraordinarily talented & creative gal who's also socially responsible"! potato, po-tahhh-to! :) :) :) that santa was far too lovely to toss out with the trash and you've done him proud! thanks for joining our earth day fun again at JINGLE BELLES! ♥♥

Carol Hurlock said...

Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me
I've been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
HA-this Santa is very handsome and I love the twinkle in his eye. You can change the "Sable" to Spellbinders....lol This is pretty. I love all the sparkle. He's been beautifully refurbished to visit someone special next year. Love it.
Bear Hugs,
Carol

Deborah Frings said...

Wow! This is really elegant. I don't think it's a cheat at all. I love the image and the diecut frames are fab! Thanks so much for playing along with 52CCT this week!

Louise van Vuren said...

What an amazing Santa image- he pops right off the page - no wonder you wanted to recycle him, and what a fab job you've done. Thanks for playing along with us at 52 CCT

Louise xx

Jodie Mackrell said...

magical ;P....thanks for joining us at catch the bug this week!

sammi said...

Very pretty. Great job with the recycling. Thanks so for stopping by! We appreciate you sharing your creativity with us in our April “Bingo” challenge at Catch The Bug! We appreciate you! ~~Sammibug~~ DT Member For Bugaboo Stamps

Becky G said...

What a beautiful card, Donna! Love what you did with this image! Thanks for joining us in this weeks Bingo challenge at Catch The Bug! Hope to see your fabulous work again.

:) Becky G
Bugaboo DT

Danielle Vincent said...

It might be what you call a "cheater" card but its fabulous nonetheless. Thanks for joining our challenges at 52CCT (Santa) and ABC Challenges (Recycle).

Gerlinde said...

Just gorgeous, Donna! He just pops off the front of the card and the detail around him is amazing! Love the shape of the card too!

Sue from Oregon said...

I always love card with a touch of gold...tickled to see recycled cards too!

Patty Gorka said...

I love that you recycled your Santa card, it's not cheating...LOL

Thanks for playing along this week at ABC Challenges!

Tip Top said...

Wonderful vintage card! I've kept all my cards from last Christmas, so must have a hunt through to see what I can find!

Lorraine said...

A fabulous vintage card and great recycling too!

Thanks for joining the Joanna Sheen Challenge this time.
Lorraine x

Tip Top said...

Great use of the sketch! Thank you for joining in at Fetch A Sketch – hope you can join us again for the next challenge! Fetch A Sketch Challenges