JOY Nativity Cards

Hello crafting friends, and a big welcome to my newest blog followers!  I hope you'll pop in and comment to let me know you're here 😁 

Today I have several variations of cards using the same die called "Joy Nativity" - CottageCutz from The Scrapping Cottage.  (I will put all the product links at the end of this post).

 You know I love my cutesy Christmas cards that I make throughout the year, but I always like to have some that reflect the true reason of the season - Christ's birth.  These were super quick to make... (except for the pop up box card) as I let the dies and papers literally do ALL the work!  

For this first one, I created a popped up frame with the red paper, after die-cutting it - it almost gives it a shadowbox look.  I also cut the JOY nativity die out of the gold star paper and then popped up the JOY so that the sections behind the holy family and star would be solid and easier to see.


I really LOVE the look of the red, white and gold!  I was inspired by one of Irina Blount's cards she featured during her 24 Days of Tutorials this month  (although mine is incredibly SIMPLE compared to her gorgeous card).  The papers I used for this card are from the Merry & Bright paper pack

It's always hard to photograph shiny or metallic papers, but you can definitely see how this paper shines! And I LOVE this particular dsp (Sparkle & Shine paper pack) as it kinda resembles constellations in the night sky.
 

Same card but with black behind the JOY instead of white -
 I like the white better, it's much brighter!



I used shiny gold paper on most of these - I don't know who makes it as my daughter brought me a stack of it on one of her visits home. For the card above, I used brushed Copper paper from SU!




METAL DIES:
Joy Nativity (Scrapping Cottage)
Night in Bethlehem (Scrapping Cottage)
Away in a Manger (Scrapping Cottage)
Double Stitched Dome Die (La-La Land Crafts)
Scalloped Dome Die (La-La Land Crafts)
Scalloped Rectangles Die (La-La Land Crafts)

DESIGNER PAPERS:
Sparkle & Shine (La-La Land Crafts)
Merry & Bright (La-La Land Crafts)

For some, the meaning of Christmas gets lost in the commercialization of this holiday (which literally means “holy day”). I saw on Facebook the following poem.  I don’t know the author’s name so can’t give proper credit, but I wanted to share it with you anyway:

‘Twas the night before Christmas, God glanced over the earth,
He looked to and fro; all over its girth.
“They missed it again,” He said with a sigh,
A heavy heart and a tear in His eye.
“I gave them my son, so they could be free.
My greatest gift, to them from me.
They traded me in for a man in red,
A little tree, and a horse drawn sled.
How do I save them and make them see?
My love is complete, my grace is free.
How do I help them, when all they know
Is a talking snowman, and a box with a bow
Maybe next year, they will stop and see
The biggest gift of Christmas is the little child from me.”

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11,12)

 Happy Inking and Merry Christmas!