This is the first card in the Fireplace Christmas Card series.

For this turn-of -the century fireplace easel card, Anna Griffin’s Holiday Hearth Easel die set is the star of the make along with some of her stamps and foiled embellishments.

Review the printed instruction sheet included in the fireplace die set before starting card.

Easel Base:  The easel base die cuts in one piece which I cut out in a heavy weight gray cardstock. I added a maroon carpet to the base using the fireplace outline die on a 6×6 inch piece of patterned paper.

Fireplace Mantelpiece:  The mantelpiece die cuts a detailed fireplace front. Because I used a double-sided cardstock that had different shades of green on each side, I was able to save the waste pieces and adhere them back inside the die-cut piece with the use of tape on the backside.

I die-cut the fireplace outline or back twice. Once from gray and once from light green. On the light green piece, I cut-off the bottom flap (and saved it to be stenciled in white to act as wallpaper above the mantel.) I also die-cut just the bottom flap of the fireplace in gray to become the hearthstone that will slide under the easel stopper. The green trimmed back piece was glued on top of the gray back piece. Next the bottom flap of the fireplace was adhered to bottom edge of the back piece and then covered with the gray hearthstone piece. Glue in black brick hearth and fire grate piece. Add glue to the back of the top fireplace tab and, with the entire fireplace flat, adhere to the back piece. Play with the positioning of the back piece on the easel base and then glue easel base tab to gray side of back piece.

Fireplace Grate with Fire:  For the back of the fireplace hearth, I cut a 3.75-inch square of black cardstock which I embossed with a brick wall embossing folder. The bricks were lightly colored with a white Distress Crayon and blended to make a smokey backdrop to the fire. The burning logs piece was cut twice from brown (logs) and once from red, yellow and orange (fire) respectively. I used tape and glue to assemble the fire and logs. To position the burning logs, open the card into the easel position and adhere the piece onto the bricks with foam squares. (When the card is closed flat, the burning logs will look slightly high inside the firebox.)

Decorations:  The die set comes with a stocking die as well as dies for holly and greenery garlands. I cut the stockings from three different decorative papers and then cut the just the cuffs from white cardstock having to do some fussy cut trimming after the die cutting. The garlands are cut from two different shades of green mirror/foil cardstock. The holly garland has red adhesive gems added along with a tiny red ribbon bow. The dark greenery garland is glued onto the mantel edge. All other decorations are adhered with foam squares. Two gold foil stars sit on the mantel shelf and a gold wrapped present sits on the floor. Both are from Anna’s Present Pop-Up Kit.

Sentiments:  A dimensional sentiment sticker from Anna’s Present Pop-Up Kit was popped-up on an additional layer of foam squares to allow the fireplace gray hearthstone to slide under and act as an easel stopper. A blank foiled sticker from the same kit was added to the card base for a personal message that will be hidden when the card is set-up as an easel. The red “Merry Christmas on the envelope flap and its green border are stamps from Anna’s Treasury of Stamps & Dies.

CRX Sheet:  With many interactive cards, the recipient needs instructions on how to open and set-up the card. I create CRX sheets (card recipient experience) to include in the envelope. You can download for free the easel/double easel CRX sheet.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope this inspires you and makes you smile. Please like and leave comments 😊

Other Fireplace Cards by designer/brand

• Anna Griffin – Holiday Hearth
• Altenew – A Modern Holiday Hearth
• Crafter’s Companion – Pop-Up Fireplace
• Elizabeth Craft Designs – Warm and Cozy Hearth
• Hero Arts – A Magical Fireplace
• Hero Arts – Burning Logs TV
• Karen Burniston – Santa Coming Down the Chimney
• Karen Burniston – Tired Santa
• Karen Burniston – Holiday Card for A Bookworm
• Paper Discovery – Gatefold Fireplace
• Sue Small – Vintage Christmas Cards – Fireplace
• Sue Small – Vintage Christmas Cards – Room Scene
• Multiple designers –An Old-Time Christmas

Materials Used:

Dies

• Anna Griffin – Dies – Holiday Hearth Easel – AG-1487H

Stamps

• Anna Griffin – Treasury of Stamps & Dies – AG691T

Embossing Folder

• Altenew – Geometric 3D Embossing Folder 6×6 – Brick Wall – ALT6206

Stencils

• Funky Fossil Designs – Windy Day

Papers

• Craft Consortium – A4 Solids Double-Sided Paper Pad – Candy Christmas
• Echo Park – 6×6 Double-Sided 65 lb Cardstock – Homegrown by Alisha Gordon & Kasie Fry
• Reminisce – 6×6 Double-Sided Papers – Christmas Wishes
• Light Green and Dark Green Mirror/Foil Cardstock
• Black, Gray and White Cardstock
• Anna Griffin – Present Pop-Up Kit – A7 Envelope – Ivory

Ink

• Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Crayon – Picket Fence
• Stampin’ Up – Classic Stampin’ Pad – Cherry Cobbler and Emerald Envy
• Craft Smart –Acid Free Ink Pad – White

Adhesives

• Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
• Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
• Clear Tape
• Foam Squares

Tools

• Die Cutting Machine
• We R Memories – QuickStick
• Stamping Platform
• LDRS – Stampendable Stamping Tool
• Stamping Cloth
• Scissors
• Fork

Miscellaneous

• Ribbon 1/8-inch wide – Red Satin, Gold Edge
• Stampin’ Up – Wonderful Gems – Red
• Anna Griffin – Present Pop-Up Kit – Gold Foil Embellishments