Clean and simple Christmas sketch

It's a sketch week at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

My idea for this one is a CAS (clean and simple) design, just using a tree stamp, sentiment and some ink. I've done a few versions - easy to do when it's so simple!

The first couple have a free form ink background forming the circle. I used chipped sapphire and salty ocean distress inks for the sky, and mowed lawn and bundled sage for the ground.

I then simply stamped a Hobby Art tree and ClarityStamp Noel in black archival ink. I don't think I've used the tree before, so have achieved my personal "something unused from my stash" challenge. I haven't used the Noel before either, but only got that last month so doesn't really count!

I worked straight onto the card bases to emphasise the simplicity.

This was the first try...

.. and this is the second.

I also tried a slightly "fancier" version.

Instead of the messy inky background, I die cut a circle from copy paper as a mask (none of my circle stencils were the right size), stamped snowflakes in versa mark, then added the ink with a blending tool. I used the same colours as above.

This gave a much neater circle for my background. I went straight onto the card base again.

I then stamped, using black pigment ink this time, and heat embossed with clear powder to give a glossy finish.

I really don't know which I prefer! I think probably the first one, for the composition, it seems to work best to me. So that's the one I'll enter into the challenge.

Given these are so easy, you could sit and make a whole set of them in a sitting - the only hold up is waiting for the background to dry. My Christmas card stash is looking pretty healthy this year, but if I get requests for more, this might be what I end up doing! They'd also look cute as tags.