Ooh, shiny

I'm very excited about this week's stash/technique challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown as it's foils/gilding.

I love gilding flakes, so I'm in my element with this one (I don't have foils so that was an easy choice to make!).

Having said that, I did struggle with the composition a bit - I had an idea in my head of what I wanted to do, but couldn't quite work out how to get it onto a card. There was much standing around holding different bits and pieces next to each other last night, before I settled on this design.

The first step was to cut my Christmas images from hint of gold Centura Pearl card. These are all tattered lace dies.

I decided to use the reindeer this time (it's a real favourite of mine), the others will go in the stash.

Next I took a double sided adhesive sheet, removed the wax paper from one side and stuck it to sheet of thin card.

I took off the other wax sheet, and placed the reindeer die cut onto the adhesive. Then I covered the remaining sticky surface in gilding flakes. I used Autumn Leaves by Bitsy Bobs & Doodads, a gold and copper mix. Some flakes I spread out flat, other were more bunched up, then I used a firm sponge to spread them out, rubbing them flat and spreading the little bits to cover the whole sheet. 

I think this gives a nice variety in texture, I just love this effect, and it's so satisfying to do.

After that, and working out what I wanted to do with it, it was a case of cutting and sticking.

I cut a panel with the reindeer, then a strip the same height. With the rest I used a Tattered Lace corner die twice, and an X Cut alphabet die to spell out Noel.

I stuck the panel and strip down with a tape pen, then used PVA spread on the back of my hand for the die cuts. If you spotted that the "L" is slightly wonky, my daughter woke up crying as I stuck it on, so I didn't get to straighten it before it dried!

I used a gold card for the card base, with a very narrow border, to match the gilding.

 











So that's one of my favourite dies and favourite techniques to make a very shiny, very Christmassy gilded card.