Poinsettia and Star

Sneaking in under the wire with a poinsettia card for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge "Positively Poinsettias".  It's also going to My Time to Craft Christmas which wants Christmas flowers.  And I think it has enough of a vintage look for The Twelve Months of Christmas Link-up "Vintage" challenge.

I stamped the poinsettia postcard three times. For the bottom layer, I did a bit of watercolour painting on the tiny bell, tiny reindeer, and the flourishes. On the second layer I painted the green leaves and then fussy cut the whole poinsettia. On the third layer, I painted the red petals and just fussy cut that section of the poinsettia. I glued the two fussy cut layers onto the bottom panel and attached that to my card base.

I tried to photograph it so you could see the dimension and the layers.

My second card is for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown "Embossing", Can You Handle the Pressure? (use an embossing folder), Rudolph Days (anything Christmas), and Shopping our Stash "Outta this World" (I chose the option of stars).

 

 

I die cut the large star out of kraft cs and streaked a bit of white gesso across it. Pierced a hole in the top of it and threaded a strip of red gingham ribbon through it. Taped the ribbon on the back of the background panel that was run through a 3D embossing folder. I think this folder gives the idea of the star handing in a Christmas tree.  Added foam tape to the back of the star to pop it up a bit. Stamped the sentiment in red and added the bow and the small silver star.

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Viva Decor
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, off white c
Size - 6x4.25"
Accessories - watercolour paints

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Impression Obsession sentiment
Ink - Distress Candied Apple
Paper - white and kraft cs, silver mirri c
Size - A2
Accessories - Spellbinders star dies, red gingham ribbon, SSS 3D embossing folder, gesso, foam tape

Gilding Flakes on Acetate

This month, the Group of Seven Cardmakers are trying out gilding flakes on acetate.  We followed the technique on this video.  Here's my card:

I patted the wreath stamp with Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter Glue (using a square of foam as an applicator), then stamped onto the acetate.  Then immediately washed my stamp with warm soapy water.  Added the gilding flakes and pressed them into the glue, then used a craft scrubby to rub off the excess.  I added the acetate to the card base with double sided tape around its edges and covered it with a die cut frame so that the tape wouldn't show.

Here's a close-up of the lovely colours in my gilding flakes:

 

 

I love gilding flakes even though they're so messy to work with, but not sure I like using them on acetate (mainly because of the static).

 

Loll suggested we also try it on vellum.  I followed the same stamps as above.

 

I think my image was perhaps too detailed for gilding flakes but I do kind of like the misty look of it.  Again to cover the tape holding the gilding flakes panel to the card base, I used a die cut frame.

 

And a close up of the gilding flakes on the vellum:

I just love the colour blend!
 

There's lots more ideas from the rest of the Group of Seven over on the blog.  If you're inspired to try it, please link up so that we can see how you use the technique.

 

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Impression Obsession wreath stamp, unknown sentiment
Ink - gold
Paper - off white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - acetate, Cosmic Shimmer Mulled Wine gilding flakes, Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter glue, Impression Obsession frame die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Penny Black holly stamp, Rubber Soul sentiment
Ink - gold
Paper - off white cs, brushed gold shimmer cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Cosmic Shimmer Mulled Wine gilding flakes, Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter glue, MFT pierced dot frame

Vintage Poinsettia and Multi Coloured Holly

It's beautiful weather here at the moment - perfect for gardening.  Fortunately for my Christmas card quota, I can no longer garden all day like I could when younger (or my back protests very painfully) so I'm forced to do other things during the day.  Today I got a couple of cards made.

For The 12 Months of Christmas Link-up "Vintage" and the Christmas Kickstart "Positively Poinsettia" challenges:

With the stamp in my MISTI, I stamped it first in Antique Linen, then inked up the poinsettia with red and green TH crayons, misting lightly, and going back and forth until I was happy with the results. Trimmed it, bordered it with dark gold, added the sentiment, a dark gold border, and some champagne-coloured pearls in the centre of the flower.  

Then for Sparkles Christmas Challenge "Christmas Foliage" and Christmas All Year Round (be inspired by a line from Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - I went with "Deck the halls with boughs of holly"):

I stamped the holly stamp twice with an old Kaleidacolor pad to get the lovely colour variation, added the sentiment, trimmed with a stitched rectangle and popped it up on fun foam, added red Stickles to the berries and a little red bow.

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - TH poinsettia postcard, Mama Elephant sentiment
Ink - Distress Antique Linen, Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - off white and dark gold cs
Size - A2
Accessories - TH crayons, champagne pearls

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea
Paper - off white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, red Stickles, red cord, fun foam

Another Easter Bunny

I made this card for my friend who hosts a large Easter brunch.  It's also for Shopping Our Stash (Hippity Hop), The Paper Players (Bunny) Inkspirational (I was inspired by the colourful eggs in their mood board), and Stamping Sensations (Birds, Animals, Flowers, and / or Nature).

I stamped the nest onto linen cs and cut a slit along its centre. I stamped the eggs on a scrap of cs and coloured them with alcohol markers and then fussy cut them and arranged them in the slit I'd cut in the nest. The bunny is die cut from a scrap of cs smooshed in various light brown and beige inks. I added a bit of pink with a coloured pencil to his ears. He's glued on to the nest and then I die cut the panel with a stitched square die and popped it up on fun foam on the card base.

   

Supplies:
Stamps - SU sentiment, SU Nature Walk (eggs), Rubber Monger nest
Ink - Ranger Potting Soil, light brown and beige inks
Paper - white linen cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Charlie and Paulchen bunny die, alcohol markers, Lil Inker stitched square die, fun foam, pink coloured pencil

Peace on Earth Non-Traditional Colours

This month, our Peace on Earth has a mood board full of non-traditional Christmas colours.  Definitely a challenge for me!  Here's what the mood board inspired me to create:

I stamped the tree, coloured all the tiny lights and ornaments on it with alcohol markers and Glossy Accents.  I then took my tiny snowflake stencil and a very small blending brush and stencilled the snowflakes in lots of different colours of Distress inks.

Here's the mood board that inspired it:

Does it inspire you to create a Christmas card in non-traditional colours?  If so, please join us at Peace on Earth.  If not, join us anyway with an anything goes Christmas card.  There's lots of other inspiration from the rest of our Design Team!

Supplies:
Stamps - unknown tree and sentiment
Ink - Distress Peacock Feathers, various mini Distress inks
Paper - white cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Memory Box tiny snowflakes stencil, Glossy Accents

Easter Bunnies and Christmas Snowflakes

Cards for two of the big holidays today!

First up an Easter card for Addicted to CAS ("Bunny"), Shopping our Stash ("Hippity Hop"), and Inspired By ("Bunnies").

I die cut the brick wall and layered it over a piece of cs sponged in various red and brown Distress inks. The bunnies are cut from a leftover piece of light brown smooshed cs, and layered for more substance. I went over their ears with a pink coloured pencil and sponged a bit more brown around the edges. Trimmed the panel with a stitched rectangle die.

And then of course, keeping on top of my Christmas card making, this one is for Festive Friday's Earth Day challenge.  For my three things from their list, I chose earthy colours, wooden elements (the snowflakes), and recycled elements (the corrugated panel is part of a Tim Horton's coffee cup sleeve).  Jingle Belles is also having a World Earth Day challenge to use some recyling (again,I used part of a coffee cup sleeve).  It's also for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown ("Kraft and White"), My Time to Craft ( "Rectangle Shaped Cards" - I've got a rectangular card base, and two rectangular panels), Neglected Stuff (I've had the tin of wooden snowflakes for years and never use them), and Word Power (my large sentiment is the big focus of the card).

I trimmed down a Tim Hortons corrugated coffee cup holder and randomly brushed a bit of white paint on it.  I stamped the sentiment on a white panel and added the corrugated panel next to it, then added the white panel to a kraft card base.  I glued three wooden snowflakes to it.

 

  

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - various brown and red Distress inks
Paper - white linen cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Charlie and Paulchen bunny dies, pink colour pencil, The Greetery brick wall die

Supplies for card:
Stamps - Magenta sentiment
Ink - Distress Gathered Twigs
Paper - kraft and white cs, Tim Hortons corrugated coffee cup holder
Size - A2
Accessories - wooden snowflakes, white acrylic paint

Easter Bunny with Chicks, and a Snowman with Pressure

For Stamping Sensations (Birds, Animals), ATCAS (Bunny), Festive Friday (Easter - I picked yellow, bunny, and Easter sentiment from the list of options), Shopping Our Stash (rabbit or chick), and Double D (Easter):

Stamped, watercoloured, trimmed with a stitched rectangle. I thought of doing the chicks' little sweaters and the ball of yarn in various colours but I'm going to send it to my sister and her favourite colour (like mine) is blue, and keeping it to blue reflects the colours in the Double D mood board (see below).

I've been away visiting family so didn't get any Christmas cards made for two weeks, so now I'm back, I'm getting some quick ones made to keep up with my goal of 8-10 a month.  Did this one for Can You Handle the Pressure "Dry Embossing and Your Favourite Colour" (and as I said above, blue is my favourite colour).

I used a narrow snowflakes embossing folder on the top and bottom of a mini slimline card base.  I stamped the image in blue, trimmed the panel, ran the ink pad around the edges, and popped it up on fun foam.

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - House Mouse "Will Knit for Friends", SU sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watercolour paper, off white and blue cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Local King
Ink - Distress Faded Jeans
Paper - white cs
Size - 6x4.25"
Accessories - narrow snowflakes embossing folder, fun foam