Christmas in July Blog Hop!

https://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/2021/07/shopping-our-stash-449-christmas-in-july.html

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Saturday! Today, The Paper Funday Challenges  and the Inspiration Station Challenges are hosting a Christmas in July Blog Hop! Please Hop along with us today for some fantastic holiday crafting inspiration and there are Prizes too!If you were directed here from Rocky's Blog  you’re in the right place. Should you get lost, please start at The Paper Funday Challenge Blog.  Here is my card, my very first light up card ever!

The house lit up

And the house normal.

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Pre-made Oxide Ink Background, splattered w/ Gansai Tambi Starry Colors, White Gold
Pear Blossom Press EZ-Light
Lawn Fawn Build a House Die Set, #LF2046
Lawn Fawn Build a House Gingerbread Add On, #LF2438
Lawn Fawn Build a House Christmas Add On, #LF2048
Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Backdrop, Landscape, #LF1502
Lawn Fawn Stitched Tree Borders, #LF1236
Lawn Fawn Toboggan Together Stamp Set, #LF976
Lawn Fawn Push Here Stamp Set, #LF1415
Glitter Card in White and Red
Various Shades of Brown
Scrap Vellum and Green Card

Now, it might seem a bit overwhelming when you look at the number of products I used; but most of them I only used a piece or two; I've explained what I've used from what set a bit further down. Once I had found the pre-made back piece, I splattered it with the White Gold watercolor paint then I set it aside to dry.  I began to figure out how I was going to assemble my card; I knew I wanted the window to light up and I knew I wanted to light that window by pressing the door {I don't know, it made sense to me to have the light go on if you pressed the door bell} so I cut a foam piece using the house die. I ended up cutting almost all of the inside of the foam piece out, similar to a shaker card, so save yourself some trouble and cut a slit in the bottom {since you won't see it anyway} and cut out most of the house part of the foam, leaving the window top shape intact and save that excess foam, you will need it later. 

The Pear Blossom EZ-Lights are a miracle product if you can't get the whole tape connection battery light concept, which I cannot.  All you need to do is insert the battery and press the little button and BOOM, you have light!  The EZ-Light comes with three little bulbs attached and plenty of wire so you can spread those lights out or cut them off if you don't want to use all three {which is great because I accidentally cut one off and I was concerned I'd set the house - both the card one and the real one - on fire}.  I meant to take a picture for you of the back of the house as it began to take shape, but honestly, it was SO ugly I just couldn't.  I glued the vellum to the foam window, then glued my house base {the brown card} over that as well as the rest of the foam base; like I said, similar to a shaker card.  I positioned the lights in the window and kept testing them so that they wouldn't look funny when they lit up and to figure the door placement.  I was worried that the recipient wouldn't press right on the button the card would not work, but that was no issue either.  I glued the lights down and the pressing mechanism down inside the foam and I had a working light!  

The rest of the card was really just the finishing touches; the sentiment came from the Toboggan Together stamp set, the wreath from the Christmas Add On, the trees were cut from the Stitched Tree Borders and I modified the Landscape version of the Hillside Backdrop to fit the portrait card.  And those left over pieces of foam were used under the steps and the chimney!  The bow on the wreath and the card behind the candy canes are Red Glitter Card, the hills and the icing is White Glitter Card.

Well, if you haven't tried a light up card yet I hope I took some of your fear away and I highly recommend the EZ-Lights.  I have tons of batteries, copper tape and all sorts of tiny lights that I hope to use someday when my brain finally recognizes how to actually complete a connection, but until then I have four more EZ-Lights to use; and who knows, I might just sell all that other stuff and stick to the EZ way out {see what I did there?} 

For this Hop, 6 prizes will be awarded to 6 randomly chosen commenters. To be eligible for a prize, you must answer this Question below: How many light up cards have I made? I have provided the answer in my blog post.

Thank you so much for reading this post, I know it was long but I wanted to share my struggle.  I sincerely hope you are enjoying the blog hop and next you will be visiting Anita, and should you get lost, you can start again at The Paper Funday Challenge .  Thanks again & until next time, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Krafty Chicks, #567 - Christmas
DL Art, #281 - Christmas in July
Through the Purple Haze, #182 - Anything Goes or Christmas in July
Little Red Wagon - Midway to Christmas
Shopping Our Stash, #499 - Christmas in July
Creative Craft Cottage Challenge, #142 - Christmas in July
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Christmas in July