Reindeer and Rabbit

Christmas Kickstart wants a reindeer, Christmas Cards All Year Round wants something that starts with R or S, and the Penny Black Saturday Challenge wants us to use a Penny Black die.

A very CAS card - a kraft card base, die cut reindeer (cut twice - once out of white shimmer cs and once out of scrap, glued together for more dimension), die cut sentiment out of white shimmer cs, and die cut tiny bits of greenery out of green shimmer cs to make a wreath around his neck, with tiny red gemstones for berries. I also used a red gemstone for the dot over the "i" in the sentiment as I lost the little die cut dot. Inkspirational wants "furry friends" and Sweet Stampin' wants a CAS card. I used one of the adorable Anita Jeram images.  Simply stamped and watercoloured, trimmed with a lacy scallop rectangle die.  I mounted it on a green card base that perfectly matches one of the presents in the image and lets the green show through the lacy scallops.

Supplies for card one:
Paper - kraft, white shimmer, green shimmer
Size - A2
Accessories - Penny Black reindeer die, Memory Box sentiment die, Sizzix greenery die, tiny red gemstones

Supplies for card two:
Stamps - Anita Jeram (Colorado Craft Co.)
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, green cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, Reverse Confetti lacy scallop rectangle

Acrylic Block Stamping

The Group of Cardmakers are revisiting an old background technique - Acrylic Block Stamping.  

First up, a very basic way of doing it:

This is the original way I learned to do this - inking up a block with ink (in this case, with Distress Peeled Paint), spritzing with water, and stamping the block onto mixed media cs.  I used a block with a curved edge and grid lines on it to add extra interest.

I trimmed the panel, added a white die cut branch, popped it up on fun foam on a white card base, added a red sentiment, and embellished the branch with red Smooch for the berries.

For my second card, I used a different medium to colour the acrylic block - Twinkling H2Os watercolour paints.

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I spritzed the acrylic block with water, and then added my favourite shade of blue Twinkling H2O paint. I pressed it onto watercolour paper and let it dry. I then stamped the dragonfly and used a sparkly embossing powder, the colour of which is "marcasite" - not quite black, but darker than grey or silver, and with a lot of sparkle in it. I used the same powder on the sentiment. I added a shimmery black border and mounted it on a cream card base. For the third one, I used a technique I found on SCS (see here) that uses a coordinating colour of spray for the spritz instead of plain water. I used two Oxide inks - Broken China and Tumbled Glass - and smeared them randomly on a large block. I spritzed with Distress Blueprint Sketch spray and that started the two inks blending and moving. I wanted more movement so also spritzed with some water. Then I stamped the block onto watercolour paper. I love the blend of the blues and the variation in intensity! I die cut two reindeer out of off white cs (cutting each twice and gluing together for more substance). I trimmed the background panel, added the reindeer and a sentiment. There are lots more examples over at The Group of Cardmakers!

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - A Muse sentiment
Ink - Distress Peeled Paint, Memento Lady Bug
Paper - white and mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Penny Black Winter Branch die, red Smooch accent ink, fun foam, acrylic block

Supplies for card:
Stamps - Old Island Stamp Co. dragonfly, SU sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - Gina K ivory cs, watercolour paper, shimmery black cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Stampendous Marcasite embossing powder, Twinkling H2O Blue Flame, acrylic block

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - Simon Says Stamp sentiment
Ink - Distress Oxide Broken China and Tumbled Glass
Paper - watercolour paper, off white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - acrylic stamp block, Distress Blueprint Sketch spray, MFT reindeer dies

Reindeer in the Woods

The top right hand image on the new mood board at Peace on Earth immediately inspired me to create a card with a reindeer backed by woods.

I started by swiping Distress inks over one side of a birch trees embossing folder, spritzing it with some water to get the colours to blend, then running it through my Cuttlebug.  I did a light splattering of white ink for some subtle snowflakes.

I die cut the reindeer out of kraft cs and did some darker sponging on parts of him.  I cut him out again from scrap cs and glued the two together for more substance.

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in gold, and trimmed it with a stitched slope die.  Layered it over the embossed trees, and glued the reindeer on top.

Please check out how the rest of the Peace on Earth Design Team was inspired by the mood board, and then create your own card and link it up.  Here's the mood board:

Supplies:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - Distress Chipped Sapphire and Iced Spruce for the embossing folder, Distress Gathered Twigs and Brushed Corduroy for the reindeer, ColorBox Gold for the sentiment
Paper - kraft and white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Sizzix embossing folder, Penny Black reindeer die, stitched slope die, gold embossing powder

Faux Cyanotypes

The Group of Cardmakers are trying out Faux Cyanotypes this month.  What on earth are those, you say.  Basically it's an old-fashioned photography technique adapted for card making.

Here are my cards:

 

I made a mask for my focal panel by die cutting an oval out of some scrap paper.  I laid it over my focal panel card stock and sponged with Distress Blueprint Sketch.  Leaving the mask in place, I then stamped my image.  I trimmed the panel, bordered it with blue cs, added a vertical sentiment, and went over a lot of the snowy parts of the image with a Quickie glue pen and added glitter to it.

 

Traditionally cyanotypes are blue but I tried another one using Vintage Photo as it gives a very old fashioned look.

I made a square mask and sponged with Distress Vintage Photo, then stamped the reindeer image with the Vintage Photo.  I love the old-fashioned look of the colour and the tone-on-tone.  I trimmed the panel, leaving a white border, and popped it up on fun foam on the card base.

I have to say I prefer my first card.  The blue is the true colour they use for cyanotypes.  Mine are definitely "faux" cyanotypes as the traditional Cyanotype is white on a more intense blue coloured background.  I tried making one that way but did not get great results.  For examples of that, see what the rest of the Group of Cardmakers made over at the group blog.

 Here are a couple of videos with instructions:

1)  Faux Cyanotype Technique by Tracy Evans (37:16) - just watch the first 9 min.  If you have a platform and can repeat stamp images - then you won't need to paint over top.  She does add different techniques on top and worth watching if you have time.  Or fast forward to almost the end of the video to see the finished card - worth it!

2)  Faux Cyanotypes with Masking by Understand Blue - Lydia Fieldler -  (7:27)

 

 

 

I'm also adding the reindeer one to Cardz 4 Guyz "Monochrome". 

 

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Stampendous Snowy Postcard, Rosie's Roadshow vertical sentiment
Ink - Distress Blue Sketch
Paper - white and blue cs
Size - A2
Accessories -  Spellbinders oval die and rectangle dies

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Crafty Individuals reindeer
Ink - Distress Vintage Photo
Paper - white cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Spellbinders square die, fun foam

Reindeer with Trees

The top left image of the new Peace on Earth mood board immediately inspired this card.

I stamped, coloured, and masked the decorated Christmas tree, then stamped some undecorated trees in the background.  I die cut the reindeer twice and glued them together.  Then grounded it on the card with a sentiment die cut on a banner.  I added red liquid pearls to the ornaments and coloured the star with a metallic gold pen.  I used hammered cs for the card base.

Here's the mood board.  The Peace on Earth Design Team have all been inspired by it.  We'd love to see how it inspires you!

Supplies:
Stamps - unknown decorated tree, Deep Red trees, unknown sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Iced Spruce
Paper - white and brown cs, hammered white cs
Size - 5.5" square
Accessories - coloured pencils, Dee's Distinctively reindeer die, banner die, red liquid pearls, gold metallic pen

Santa on the Roof and Snowman with Dog

Two mini slimline cards today, both on coloured cardbases.  I enjoy making Christmas cards between Christmas and New Year as I'm still feeling in the Christmas mood and I always have lots of free time.  

So here's one for Christmas Cards All Year Round "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and Double D "Santa and / or Snowman".  And for the NBUS Challenge (I've never inked up this stamp before and I've had it for quite a while).  I'm also entering it in : Sweet Stampin' "Christmas", The Twelve Months of Christmas "Anything Goes Christmas", and The Christmas Kickstart Challenge "If It's Christmassy, Link It Up".

I used a Tim Holtz stamp I've had for ages and never inked up. Simply stamped and watercoloured and mounted on a blue shimmer card base.

For the Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Snow or Snowmen", I got out a Penny Black stamp I haven't used for ages.  It's also for Cardz4Guyz "Christmas Critters".

Stamped, coloured with coloured pencils, trimmed and added to a tan card base, and embellished with a Gelly Roll Stardust pen on the snowflakes.

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Tim Holtz
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, blue shimmer cs
Size - 6x3.25"
Accessories - watercolour paints

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - off white and tan cs
Size - 6x3.25"
Accessories - coloured pencils, Gelly Roll Stardust pen

A Gilded Reindeer, Red Ornaments, and a Horse and Sleigh

I'm working very hard on Christmas cards as my fundraiser (where I sell my Christmas cards and those kindly donated by Loll and Christine) is this Sunday.  Thank goodness for challenges that spark ideas in me!  I've got three cards today.

Fiirst up for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge "Just Add Antlers", I've got a reindeer with some very impressive antlers.

I sponged Cosmic Shimmer glue through a reindeer stencil, removed the stencil (and washed it immediately), and applied copper flakes to the glue.  Trimmed the panel with a hemstitch square die, layered over copper shimmer cs, and added a die cut sentiment out of the same copper cs. 

Colorful Options wants to see mostly red.

I stamped and heat embossed the ornaments in red sparkly embossing powder, and the sentiment in black embossing powder.  To make the border layer match the sentiment, I ran ink around the edges of the border layer of cs and heat embossed in the same black embossing powder.

The 12 Months of Christmas want to see a sleigh.  

The background is from my UFO box (a stencil monoprint created after making another background where I sprinkled Magicals through a stencil and spritzed with water - the leftover wet Magicals powder on the stencil was then used to create this background print - trees don't really come in this colour but it makes a lovely shimmery background!).  I tore a strip of white shimmer cs for the snowy ground, and added a gold die cut sleigh and horse, and a gold sentiment die cut with a banner die. The card base is white shimmer cs.

   

Supplies for card 1:
Paper - off white cs, copper shimmer cs
Size - 5.5" square
Accessories - reindeer stencil, copper foil flakes, Tim Holtz noel die, Spellbinders hemstitch square die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Indigo Blu ornaments, Paper Smooches sentiment
Ink - ColorBox red, Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - white cs
Size - 5.75" square
Accessories - Old Island Red Dragon embossing powder, black embossing powder, Spellbinders square dies

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - unknown sentiment
Ink - gold
Paper - mixed media cs, white shimmer cs, gold shimmer cs
Size - A2
Accessories - TCW birch trees stencil, Magicals, sentiment banner die, Memory Box horse and sleigh dies

 

Gentle Christmas and Floral Thanks

For the Cut It Up challenge, we have to use a die cut and our favourite colour.  Mine is blue.  I have a friend whose husband just passed away so I need to send her a different kind of Christmas card.  "Merry Christmas" won't really apply for her first Christmas on her own.  So I made this:

I created a faux mother of pearl background with blue Distress inks and silver paint, laid the die cut over it, stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.  I like this sentiment for people who aren't going to be enjoying their first Christmas after a major loss.

I've also got a thank you card today for The Flower Challenge "Thanks".  And for the Sisterhood of Crafters "Thanks".

 I created a background using various light greens and blues of Distress Oxide inks.  Then stamped and heat embossed the flowers in white, and painted them dark blue.  Trimmed the panel and put it on an embossed layer.

  

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Impression Obsession sentiment
Ink - various Distress blue inks, ColorBox silver
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - silver paint, unknown die, platinum embossing powder

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - PB flowers, unknown thank you
Ink - various light blue and green Distress Oxide inks
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - SU embossing folder, white embossing powder, blue paint, stitched sentiment banner die

Circles with Reindeer

I was immediately inspired by the bottom left image on the new Peace on Earth mood board (see it at the end of this post) and created this card.

I loved the white ornaments with the platinum-coloured reindeer.  Rather than create an ornament, I just went with circles.  I die cut a stitched circle out of white shimmer cs and then a plain circle out of platinum shimmer cs.  I cut the Memory Box Deer Circle die out of the centre of it, and cut the sentiment out of the leftover.  The white circle is popped up on fun foam for some dimension on the white shimmer card base.

We'd love to have you join us at Peace on Earth, either inspired by one of the images in our mood board or with an "anything Christmas" card.

Supplies:
Paper - white and platinum shimmer cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Memory Box Deer Circle die, Spellbinders circle die, Lil Inker stitched circle die, SSS peace die

Mixed Media Reindeer and Stencilled Festive Leaves

Playing around to create a card for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown's "Mixed Media" challenge.  And since it has an animal on it, it's also going to Try It on Tuesday's "Animals - Real or Imaginary" challenge.

My mixed media are ink, embossing powder, Bister powder, and white acrylic paint.

The background is green Bister powder, sprinkled on the cs and then spritzed with water and allowed to dry naturally. Then I splattered with some white acrylic paint. The reindeer is stamped and heat embossed on the Bister background. Then a torn strip of white cs creates the snowy ground that he is walking through. I used a silver shimmer card base for a bit of contrast.

I was really happy with how this turned out but not so happy with the second card I'm posting today.  It's for Addicted to CAS "Leaves".

I stencilled with various Distress inks and small blending tools so that I could get the right colours in the right spots.  Then framed it with a white panel so that I could have more "white space".  Added a sentiment and bordered with green cs.  I'm not sure why I don't like it - maybe I'd have liked it better as a square card?  Or with a different frame?  Anyway, here it is for what it's worth!

  

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Studio Light reindeer, unknown sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - white cs, silver shimmer cs, mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - clear embossing powder, green Bister powder, white acrylic paint

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - A Muse sentiment
Ink - various Distress inks
Paper - green shimmer, white, and mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Spellbinders square inverted scallop die, TH stencil

Northern Lights Christmas Cards

I've seen various people make northern lights backgrounds for card and wanted to give it a go.  I tried the ones where they create swirls of colour but I ended up with a horrid mess and tossed them.  Then I tried the technique in this video where the colour is in more vertical bands.  I ended up with three backgrounds I was happy with and turned them into three Christmas cards.

My favourite is this one as I got a bit of quite vibrant colour.

I stamped the image in black using my MISTI so that I go quite an intense image.  I then sponged a lot of Distress Black Soot ink along the bottom of the panel.  I heat embossed the little Noel sentiment in white on black cs and cut it out with a tiny square die and covered up a bit of smudged ink.

My second favourite is this one:

I die cut the village scene out of black cs. layered it over the northern lights background, and added a very small sentiment.

My least favourite is this one:

My northern lights turned out a bit too muted and I wasn't happy with my white splattering as I got some blobs that are way too big.  Black stamping or a black die cut didn't look right - not enough contrast.  So I went with a white die cut sleigh and horse and added two coordinating sentiments.

I found it easier to sponge the sky on a very slightly glossy cs - not as glossy as photo paper but with a definite bit of gloss.  I didn't find much difference between regular Distress inks and Distress Oxide inks (the first one was done with Oxide, the second and third with Distress).

My friend, Loll, also did some northern lights cards and we decided to post them on the same day.  Please go to this post on her blog to see hers - quite different to mine but beautiful!

Supplies:
Stamps - Stampendous "noel", Katzelkraft deer and trees, SSS tiny Merry Christmas, SSS Jingle Bells and Dashing All the Way sentiments
Ink - various Distress and Distress Oxide inks, SSS Intense Black, Versamark, Versafine Clair Twilight
Paper - white and black cs, slightly glossy cs
Size - A2 (the first two) and 6x4.25" (the third card)
Accessories - white acrylic paint, white embossing powder, tiny Spellbinders square die, Memory Box Country Landscape die, tiny sentiment die, SU sleigh and horse die