A splash of red

Another 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge today.

It's a colour theme, white with a splash of red.

What a lovely combination, and the design team cards were brilliant.

So I'm a bit disappointed with how my cards have turned out - I think they need more work, and maybe I'll go back and give them some TLC at some point before sending them out.

I had two ideas, and sent hubby on a search (fruitless) for red mirror card last weekend, before getting it in our fabulous local shop, Berkhamsted Arts and Crafts.

The first uses an old favourite die, the swirly Christmas tree. I cut it out of Centura Pearl hint of gold - I've lost count of how many times I've done that combination! I then cut three Tattered Lace butterflies out of the same card, using an adhesive sheet on the back. I know butterflies aren't traditionally Christmassy, but I thought it might work! I used the card waste with the butterfly outline to trace onto the back of the mirror card, and cut out the shape. I then attached the white butterflies on the top, so the red shows through the filigree. Beautiful!

I arranged the butterflies on the tree, and this bit I am pleased with! However, a background for the tree proved more complicated. I went for a simple solution, and drew lines of dots down the sides of the card blank with a versa mark pen, and heat embossed with white powder. You can see them in the photo if you squint! It doesn't look quite so plain in real life as in the photo. But I think maybe some matting and layering, or something to add a bit more interest, would have been better. I still might cut the front off this card and layer it up somehow.

The second card needs a lot more work on the composition, but I like the idea!

What's a Christmassy splash of red if not Rudolph's nose?

For this one, I stamped and embossed snowflakes down the sides of the card, giving a fancier border. The reindeer die is Tattered Lace, the nose is punched from self adhesive glitter card, and the sentiment is a stamp from a magazine, heat embossed in red.

I need to work on my white on white backgrounds and layers!