All the reds

I have finally done it! I have my 52 Christmas Card Throwdown card for the week ready on time. I've even gone overboard and made 4 cards!

The theme that has me so productive is a colour challenge - red and white.

I started with one idea, then had variations on that which went in different directions.

I wanted to create a red "splodge" to which I'd add a die cut Christmas tree in white.

I cut out the tree from card and copy paper, then took the copy paper aperture and tore it to make the shape for my splodge.

I taped the apreture over my card, and started to stamp through with an assortment of Christmas stamps.

I made sticky note masks for some of the stamps. I won't try to list all the ones I used, they are a complete range, from Clarity to magazine freebies.

To define the area further, I brushed over with the same ink (red carnation archival).

This was the result. The shape is still a bit tree like, I'd maybe make it less triangular if I were to do this again.

To finish this card, I die cut the tree in red car, mounted behind the white die cut to help define it, and adhered. I stamped a sentiment on a scrap of paper, and edged that and the background in the same ink. It all went onto a 5x7 card blank (as did all these cards).

The first variation used the same aperture. I spritzed water through it, then sprinkled on brilliant red brusho powder. Usually brushos split into many colours so aren't great for colour challenges, but the red is an exception.

I cut this down, edged with a red sharpie, and stuck a white die cut tree onto the red area. The sentiment was again stamped onto a scrap, and heat embossed in clear to brighten it.

Putting them together shows how different the shades of red are!


The second variation started with stamping a large "merry Christmas" sentiment, using barn door distress oxide. I used the stamping platform so I could repeat and get a good amount of ink down.

I then spritzed with water, leaving the stamp in place on the platform.

The first one I thought I'd over done the water, so I repeated.

One is definitely more diffused - which isn't a problem except I was worried it was a bit orange given this is a red colour challenge!

I then over stamped the words with the same ink and stamp selection as I used in the first card.

This is actually a lot of fun, masks definitely help here.

I then put the card back into the stamp platform and restamped the large sentiment, in versamark ink, and heat embossed in white.

This is a technique from Leonie Pujol, she used masks for the words rather than the overstamping, but the effect is similar.

I filled in the spaces in the words with red inktense pencils and a water pen. I used them as I'm still in love with my inktense, and they have the intensity of colour. But as they don't wipe off the embossing when you go over the lines, something like a distress oxide ink, would probably have been better and neater.

To finish, I cut the card down, edged with barn door distress oxide, then mounted on red card. I didn't like the shades I had so added the red carnation ink to them around the edge. The darker one I added directly from the ink pad, the brighter one I sponged on.

I really love how these have come out, and am disappointed in the photos. I have another camera, that I inherited, I really must figure out how to use it as my current one really isn't up to it!

To join in with this colour challenge, head to the 52CCT blog. This challenge runs until Friday 17th April. Have fun!