A Very Merry Christmas - Christmas Cottage Part One

Continuing with "A Very Merry Christmas Deco Large" (plus 2 packs pages & inserts & one little book) - I'm working with 1/2 the set called "Christmas Cottage".  I got so many cards from this set that I'll be making 3 posts about them!   Here are the first 4 cottage cards I made - the first 3 of which are "deco" or "Paper Tole" style cards (have layered pieces on foam tape for added dimension).

This first card is a reverse center step card (for info on how to make the card base - check out this post).   The focal is the "deco" style base card with two to three layers on it.  I added a large greeting (from the set) below it.  For the sides, I cut a strip from the coordinating card stock.  Then I cut the border piece (from the set) in half and added it towards the top on either side.  To fill in the remaining space, I added a couple of pine sprigs (Martha Stewart punch) and a red Jewel Dazzle.

This next card has some layering pieces on top of the picture printed on one of the coordinating pieces of card stock.  The panel was cut a bit smaller than the card as you can see.  At the top of the focal I created a border with scraps from the punch-out sheets, then added a greeting from the set.  I took another scrap of coordinating card stock, cut it vertically in half, and added it on either side of the focal.  Then I created a "frame" with green Border Dazzles.

Next up, is my third layered focal.  This one started with the largest die cut piece glued to a piece of the coordinating paper for sky.  I added a little piece of card stock at the top for a border & added Jewel Border Dazzles around and on it before adding the greeting (from the set).  I had almost exactly 1/2" card left around the focal and decided I didn't care for that much white border.  So I took a piece of ribbon from my stash & glued it all around the edge (fixing the ends with "fray check" so they hopefully won't unravel!).

The fourth card was a larger version picture (from the inserts & papers pack).  I simply cut it to size, added a greeting (from HD Essential Book of Christmas Sentiments) and Red Jewel Border Dazzles for a frame.