Winnar!

I got a call yesterday from the Paper Source in Palo Alto.  That holiday card contest that I absolutely had to do?  I won!

And there it is.  It features a freshly baked gingerbread couple, but oop, someone's leg has been bitten off!  Following rules, I used only materials one could find at a Paper Source:

Basics:
 - 5.75" square folded cards in Pool
 - square cards in Eco-White (30% post consumer waste! Better than 0%)
 - glitter paper for envelope liners
 - 6mm satin ribbon in Pool
 - VersaMark ink pad for the background

Gingerbread people:
 - this cute couple
 - VersaMark ink pen for inking
 - white embossing powder
 - silver paper for the baking sheet
 - vellum for the parchment paper
 - little gems

Adhesives:
 - Zots (gingerbread people, ribbon detail)
 - Xyron sticker maker (ribbon)
 - glue

A lot of time was spent agonizing over what sort of paper or pattern would work best on the background, and I eventually just tried out pressing the VersaMark pad on the card itself, which turned out much better than I expected, especially after using the heating tool.  For the gingerbread people, the lady was inked using the pad, but her poor little husband (or S.O., or friend; I don't want to assume) was inked with a VersaMark pen--excepting his mouth. Using the same pen, I gave him his rather unhappy mouth, and embossed them like that.

My favourite part of this year's card is definitely the vellum paper that I ripped to resemble parchment paper.  That, and the greeting on the inside, which was inspired by a Kate Spade card I saw on display at a card shop on University.  I had already planned to write, "Wishing you a tasty Christmas," but this was better:

I printed it on vellum using my current favourite font, Alte Haas Grotesk, and it's secured by four Khaki snaps, to match the gingerbread people.

The only thing that's missing from this post is a few pictures of the mess that I created while making this card, and about 20 others which were mailed to friends and family.  There was excess cookie "dough" everywhere, glitter, punched off corner points... and of course, a bunch of little gingerbread man feet everywhere.  Messy.

But it was all worth it!  I wasn't expecting to win, but I'm really excited.  I meant to make a post with my holiday advent calendar, but that's going to be postponed!  That's how excited I am! Now I have to figure out what I will do with a $50 gift card to the Paper Source.  Somehow I don't think that will be difficult at all.