Our stash challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month is to use printed holiday papers. I don't use these a lot, but have a bit of a collection gathered over the years, so it's good to have a reason to use them!
My card was inspired by a technique I saw on Split Coast Stampers, although I adapted it - I'd like to try the original, with a stamped image, sometime.
I chose my papers, then cut one into brick shapes.
I went round each with vintage photo distres oxide - that took a while!!
I cut the backing paper from another printed paper, and edged with frayed burlap oxide, stamped with vintage photo (using a dotty swirl from IndigoBlu) and distressed the edges.
I then stuck the bricks onto it - I didn't use all the pieces I'd cut.
For the focal point, I die cut a tree and sentiment from a third paper. I added ink to this to darken it to make it stand out from the background. I also added antique linen to the background where they were to go, to add contrast, I think I overdid this a bit, I tried to lift some with water at the end.
After adding the die cuts, I went round the sentiment and part of the tree with a fine black pen, to help it stand out.
This one went on a 6x6 card blank.
I think I like the idea of this card more than the execution - some of the other paper combinations might have looked better.
To join in with the challenge using your Christmas design paper, click through to the 52CCT. You have until Friday 3rd May to enter. Have fun!
It's our theme challenge this week at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. EK has chosen:
This prompted a bit of an internet search for appropriate jokes to use! And for stamps that worked with them.
Having made my choice, I found this wine bottle stamp in a set I'd never used. I stamped it in black versafine then heat embossed in clear. To colour it, I used distress inks with a water pen.
For my background, I used distress ink on the gel press plate. I started with a green layer, then splattered over with dark green, cream and dark red, and pulled a print. I splattered the plate with the dark green again, and added to the print, then did a layer of cream/brown, and added this as well to age it. The beauty of the gel plate and transparent inks!
To the base layer, I added a layer of script stamped in brown, second and third generation.
I cut this to size for a 6x6 card blank, then edged with brown ink. I used a holly swirl stamp in archival brown on each side, then used the end section to fill in the top with a holly sprig. I coloured the holly with green and red distress ink and the water pen.
For the sentiment, I used one of the offcuts from the background. I edged with brown and green, and added cream ink to the centre.
For the tag, I printed onto card and cut with a tag die. It reads "Goes well with turkey and difficult relatives". I added cream and brown ink to age it, with black around the edge, and a bit of red to tie in with the background.
I used black thread to tie the tag to the bottle, then mounted the bottle, tag and sentiment using foam pads.
Lastly, I added black distress ink around the bottle, tag and sentiment with a water pen, for a drop shadow.
Once again this isn't a card I'd have made without the theme prompt, but I actually really like it. The background has turned out beautifully, this holly swirl stamp is a revelation, I'll be using it again!
So now it's your turn to get your funny hats on. Go to the 52CCT blog to enter your cards - you have until Friday 26th April to join in and give us all a laugh.
EK has chosen a colour combinaton for us this week at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - metallic with one colour.
I have a confession to make - I read this as metallics plus one colour so have used multiple metal colours - I hope I won't get my wrist slapped!!
I chose a dusky pink for my colour - eventually. It's easier sometimes when you don't get a choice!!!
I started by painting a sheet of card with acrylic paint, mixing a colour I liked. I then stencilled through with a swirly stencil and the same paint, for a bit of texture - not sure it really shows but I know it's there.
I stamped across the base with versamark, and added mica powder in silver and pale gold. Mica is one of those old staples that I often forget about then when I use it remember how much I like it!
I cut this down to fit a 6x6 card blank.
To go on this, I die cut a Christmas tree in black. I placed it over a piece of card and pressed versamark all over, so it covered the die cut and the card around it.
To the die cut I added different metallic embossing powders, being cautious to get them in different areas, and heated.
I really like this mixed metallic look!
The waste powder, which is a mix, I added to the background card. This basically looks gold.
Not sure what I'll do with this but sure it'll come in useful at some point. Maybe ink it around the outside, I quite like the white tree.
For the current card, I scribbled round the outside of the background with an embossing pen, added silver and copper embossing powder, and heated.
I adhered the tree to the background with wet glue, then the background to the card blank with tape pen and a bit of super sticky tape. I cut off the corner of the tree that protruded.
As always, the problem with shiny cards is getting a photo that works! You can't see the depth of the pink, or how the tree sits into the background, with the black of the card giving a bit of an "edge". You'll have to trust me!
To join in with the challenge, go to the 52CCT blog. You have until Friday 19th April to enter. Have fun!!
I'm a bit late with my 52 Christmas Card Throwdown design team card this week. I planned to use our week's break last week to get ahead - ah well.
EK is hosting us this month, and she's chosen this sketch for us to play with:
As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to use the sunburst stencil from Clarity for the corner.
But I needed a background for it to go over. I started with green and cream distress oxides, three layers on the card. I then stamped over with a Clarity holly and ivy stamp, and paint in shades of red, green and cream.
Then it was time for the stencil, I sponged through with cream paint. I sponged dark red round the edge of the card, then ran a black ink pad round.
I cut a circle from cream zeta hammered card, and stamped a greeting from Clarity in black versafine.
Lastly it was doodle time - to emphasise the stencil, and around the edge, and to embellish the sentiment.
I'm not sure it's my favourite card ever, but it is quite Christmassy.
To join in with the challenge, head over to the 52CCT blog, you have until Friday 12th April to join in.
