Fairy Lights

I can't believe we've reached the final challenge of 2021 at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

As we enter the final run up to the big day, I hope we've helped you to build up a great stash of cards you're proud to send to friends and family.

This challenge gives you plenty of scope for those last minute efforts - or maybe you're starting next year's collection!

 

 

I have revisited the November theme challenge of Fairy Lights - except I missed this one, so not really revisiting!

 

I drew the line of fairy lights, using free pictures online as a guide. I went over with an embossing pen, and heat embossed in platinum.

I added brusho powder inside the bulbs, in alizarin crimson, leaf green, and yellow. I then spritzed with water, to activate the pigment. I got lovely bright colours, with a beautiful "glow" around the bulbs.

Once dry, the colours weren't quite so vivid, so I added a gloss glaze to the bulbs, to lift them.

I cut down to size, and used the offcuts to stamp the sentiment in black archival.

I edged the card and the sentiment, and put together on a 6x6 card blank.

I never tire of using brushos, I love the effects they give!

 

 

 

 

 

To play along, pop over to our 52CCT blog. You have all month for this challenge, entries close on Saturday 1st January 2022 (!)

Happy crafting, a very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, and see you next year.

 

Christmas kisses

I missed a week on 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, my daughter's birthday and party took priority! But I have a plan for that challenge.....

This week, Gill has asked us to use the stamp kissing technique.

I used a background stamp that I think of as damask/wallpaper - I've no idea what it's actually called. I started with a holly stamp kissed against it, but that didn't work well. So I swapped to this texture stamp. I used distress oxides, with a mixture of antique linen and pumice stone sponged on first, then peeled paint added with the second stamp.

Once I had my panel, it was a case of making a card around it!

The base is brushos, with a large script stamp used to lift and then restamp. I also stamped in forest moss and vintage photo ink, into the wet brushos.

The holly squares and sentiment are watercoloured with oxides.

I also used oxides and a waterbrush to add drop shadow and an edging.

 

It hasn't all come together quite right. This is one of those cards that could have done with walking away for a day and revisiting with fresh eyes. But I was on a deadline!

To join in, and get some guidance and inspiration, visit the 52CCT blog. This challenge is open until Friday 3rd December. Almost Christmas!!

 

 

 

Alcohol ink baubles

Gill is our host at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for the month, and has set a colour challenge for us:

I got ahead for this one, during a workshop earlier in the year using alcohol inks on a gel plate, with stencils.

 

The two on the left are from the gelplate, applied through the stencil (from Clarity) then lifted with white acrylic. The ones on the right are then cleaning off the stencil, with IPA.

I used top right and bottom left.

 

I didn't muck around with these at all. I simply cut a section to fit the side of a 6x6 card blank and edged with black pen. I stamped the sentiment in black archival, and added dots with a black pen.

 

 

A simple layout to allow the alcohol ink designs to shine.

 

The two techniques give different effects - the first is brighter and cleaner, but I really love this more grungy look.

To play along come and visit us at 52CCT.

This challenge is open for a week, to Friday 19th November.

Have fun!

 

Holly layers

We welcome Gill to host 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month, as we enter the final run up to the big day!

As always, she starts the month with a sketch.

I went for a layered, mixed media card with a limited colour palette.

I started with an A4 sheet of card, and cut a 13.4cm square from it. I collaged on torn pieces of old papers - a dictionary, sheet music and a book page. I used transaprent gesso so I could add brushos over it.

I added the brushos to the centre of this piece and the whole of the other pieces from my A4 sheet. I used olive green, then added yellow for a warmer feel.

I cut a 14cm matt from one of the larger pieces. I die cut an ivy branch from the centre of this, being frugal, and another from one of the other pieces, as well as a holly die cut.

I tore a piece of the book page, and inked the edges, then a narrower strip from brusho card. The sentiment is stamped onto the blank edge of an old book page, and the edges inked.

The cream holly I originally die cut from a book page, but they didn't look quite right, so I used a scrap of plain card instead and inked in cream with brown edges.

I stamped some holly onto the collaged piece, and edged this and the matt with brown, before assembling. I added a bit of thread around the sentiment strip. I finished with pearls in the centre of the holly - I wanted tiny wooden buttons but didn't have any!

 

I'm very happy with how this has come out, it has a lovely earthy feel.

 

 

 

 

 

To play along this week, visit us at the 52CCT blog. You have a week, until Friday 12th November, to join in.

Pop-Up Baubles

 

I am here with Majda's final challenge for the month at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - it's either stash or technique, and she has chosen "Pop-Up" cards.
 

My card is a twist out design. I learnt this at a workshop with Angela Simpson earlier in the year (online!). She used it with a lovely colouring technique - I was running late but was able to catch up as I used brushos instead! Much quicker!

I cut all my pieces, from watercolour card and black, then stamped and embossed. This is a lovely folksy bauble set. Then sprinkle on the brusho, spritz, and watch the magic! I think I used alizarin crimson, yellow and emerald green.

And next, construct the card - I won't try to explain how it goes together, but it's easy once you know how!!

And the final card goes into a C6 envelope - although it's quite thick, so not one to post!!

To play along, head over to the 52CCT blog. The challenge is open for TWO weeks (we have a break on the 5th Saturday of the month), so you have until Friday 5th November to enter.

Happy playing!

Snow Globe

Super quick post tonight, as I'm late again with my 52 Christmas Card Throwdown card for the week. At least I have already made my card for next week, so I have no excuse for posting that late!!!

Majda has chosen the theme of "Snow Globe". Such fun!

I wanted dimension in my card, like you're looking into the snow globe. I die cut the circle out of both sides of a card blank, and the front of a second one.

The stand is from a Clarity stamp, I edged the circle in silver sharpie, and added stars, some grounding, and brushed chipped sapphire ink around.

I used die cuts of trees and Santa between the back of the front card and the front of the back one. I attached the cards to make a "Z" shape.

The background is from my stash - I made it using brushos and gold mica powder, with clingfilm. I thought it looked quite magical behind my little scene.

I like the depth this design has created, it came together quite well. This Santa die is new, I'm very pleased with it.

 

 

 

 

To join in, visit us on the 52CCT blog. You have until Friday 22nd October to play along. Have fun!!

Red and Brown

Oh, I'm struggling a bit at the moment so am running behind on my 52 Christmas Card Throwdown cards. But better late than never!

Majda has chosen Red and Brown for her colour challenge as host this month.

 

This card is quite simple, and is based on a scrapbook page Leonie Pujol did on the Craft Store telly last week.

I started with some second generation stamping with brown archival ink. I used a ledger stamp I really like.

Next, I pulled out red and brown designer papers, left over scraps from other projects.

I tore them up and arranged them, and glued down with mod podge.

Over this I stencilled with paint - a thick white for body, with a little brown added.

Once dry, I splattered watered down red and brown paint over - I may have over done this but it's fun!

The stag head is a die cut I painted with a mix of brown and black paint to be nice and dark; I used the same mix arounf the edge.

The sentiment is heat embossed onto a scrap of DP, I added red around the edge to brighten it.

This kind of grungy, torn, layered look, makes me very happy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To join in, head over to the 52CCT blog, to see the inspiration frm my DT colleagues, and to share your card. You have until Friday 15th to play along.

Happy crafting x

By the light of the moon

This October we welcome Majda as the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown host for the month.

She starts off, as always, with a sketch:

My card is following techniques by Lavinia Stamps, and the ivy and mushroom stamps are from them. There are also Clarity grass stamps, an IndigoBlu script stamp, and the stag is one I've had for ages and don't know who made it.

The base of the card is a gel print, distress ink with brusho. The red was a "bonus" - it was either on the plate or the brush already, as I didn't add it!

I then inked over, using a moon mask cut from paper with a die, and torn paper for the hill.

 

I love how luminescent the moon looks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To play along, head to the 52CCT blog, you'll be able to admire the inspiration cards from the rest of the design team, and enter your take on Majda's sketch.

Washi, washi, washi

It's time for Rosi's stash challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. I am so not ready for it to be the last Saturday of September!!

She's asked us to use washi tape on our card - at least two different tapes.

I don't usually use washi, but when I dug around I had a few different ones, so used 5 on this card.

(I was also introduced to The Washi Shop online recently, so will be adding to that - they have absolutely beautiful designs.)

This card started with the discarded piece from last week, with the yellow and green elf in the middle. Waste not want not!

I blended tumbled glass oxide over it, then lightly stamped a script stamp in brown to give a base.

Over this I collaged some music sheet (a printable) to hide the elf, then added torn strips of washi. It was a bit full on, so I dry brushed white gesso over to knock it back a bit.

I inked the edge with black archival, then sewed across with the sewing machine in white. I've been wanting to try stitching on paper/card for ages, so finally got on with it!

I saw a video on ways to use washi that showed die cutting, so wanted to try that. I put the collage and washi onto an scrap of card, then die cut a bird and a bow. I love this! They look so interesting.

I did the same with two flower (poinsettia I hope) dies. I edged with black to help them stand out.

The bird wasn't standing out on the background, so I inked a little background square, and attached it with the most contrasting washi as a frame. I added black with a Stabilo All pencil around the inner edge.

For the sentiment, I inked a scrap of card and die cut a tag, and stamped Merry Christmas. This also disappeared a bit, so I used the dark teal tape to cover more card and die cut a second tag to go underneath.

I can't quite make up my mind about this card. It's quite full on, and lacks contrast a bit. But I do like the shabby, layered feel, and I love the die cuts.

 

 

 

 

Now over to you. This challenge is open for a week, to Friday 1st October. To join in, visit us at 52CCT, where you'll also find the inspiration from my super talented design team colleagues.

Sparkle magic

Rosi's theme challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week is an unusual one - In A Jar. Doesn't that get your creativity buzzing?

My card this week has been one of those that did not flow at all!

I don't have a jar stamp or equivalent, so there wasn't an obvious starting place. I eventually came up with a vague idea for fairies and elves holding jars, and tippping sparkles over a Christmas tree, but realised that would be far too complicated to take on right now!

So I settled on a simpler design, with this elf, from the Clarity Christmas wee folk. He usually carries a pile of presents, but I masked that part of the stamp.

In my first version , he was a yellowy colour, and I added green clothing with a pencil. But it looked all wrong! The second version I forgot to mask the presents! This is version three. I used a pencil to suggest the clothing.

The jar is a free downloaded image. Even this was troublesome - most I found had the lid on! Or they were too crisp, or too sketchy.... I printed this, and cut out. The twine was coloured with a pencil. (And I couldn't even find a sharpener!!!)

The stars are a Lavinia stamp, heat embossed in platinum. I added glitter pen around them to add to the magical feeling, and on the jar to tone down the white.

I used a little brown ink and a water pen to ground my elf.

In all my extensive stamp selection, I apparently don't have a single "Magic". So I used an alphabet set, I tried a few until I settled on this one. The letters are heat embossed, and the card glittered with the pen.

My design was tall and thin now, with hindsight I might have made a slimline card.

Instead, I made a background to go either side. The first version of this, with heat embossed script and red holly, was abandoned after several attempts to rescue it, and I went for this bright and easy version. Oxides in pink, blue and a little red applied to an acrylic block, spritzed and dabbed onto the card. Then the same star stamp and embossing powder used randomly.

I edged everything with a gold sharpie pen - even this slipped at one point!

 

 

So it's been a bit like pulling teeth at times, but the card is finally finished, and I do quite like it!

I don't know whether to make loads now I've gone through the pain of figuring it out, or to never do this again!!

I hope you have an easier time with this challenge. You have a week, until Friday 24th September, to enter, over on the 52CCT blog. You can also see all the inspiration from the rest of the design team.

Feeling blue

Rosi has chosen "3 shades of blue" as her colour challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week.

I have used 3 archival ink shades - cobalt blue, cornflower blue and manganese blue. The card design is from a workshop I did with Angela Simpson in May.

I built the wreath with a stamp set I got secondhand and I suspect was from a magazine. It had the perfect stamps for a wreath so would guess this was one of the projects! I drew a pencil circle on the card, then used my stamp platform - placing the stamp then turning the card a quarter to stamp 4 times. I realised I didn't rub out the pencil mark - it doesn't show too much but might go back and do that!

The hills were created with torn paper and a sponge, with the cornflower blue. The tree is from an old rubber set, and the stag is a stand alone stamp I've also had for ages. I think the tree had ink left on it so came out a little more green than the cornflower colour - which works well for the card and I hope Rosi will forgive for the challenge!

The stars added interest in the sky, although I think I overdid them. The final touch was clear glitter in the berries and tree, however, my glue pen is obviously too old so came out yellow! Oops. I added blue mica instead of the glitter, to cover the yellow colour, which has worked. Again I ask Rosi's forgiveness for a fourth shade of blue!

To finish, I brushed the cornflower blue around the outside to give a subtle edge.

While I'm still in shock(!) that I haven't included a single snowflake on a blue card, I am very happy with this. It's a beautiful Winter scene, and the wreath gives a different aspect to it.

 

 

 

To join in, pop over to the 52CCT blog, where you'll see the inspiration from my DT colleagues and can enter your card. You have a week, to Friday 17th September, to join in.

Framed Stag

Rosi is our host for September at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. To start us off, she's chosen a sketch for us to play with.

 

I have stuck to this one pretty much as it is, without any flips or tweaks! I even managed to keep some of the open space, which I love, but am very bad at leaving on a card.

The first step was to heat emboss the stag silhouette on the card. I tried two different scales, one with the full stamp, and one with the body masked off to just give the head. I seem to be doing cards in pairs at the moment, trying out two versions of the same thing. The larger is a mix of black and copper powder, to give a bronze effect, the smaller is just black.

I then added brushos, using an aperture stencil to contain them and the water within an oval area around the stag. This worked a bit better than I hoped - the areas are more defined than I had in mind, especially the larger one.

I also added brushos to scrap pieces to cut the strips from, using darker colours for contrast. I edged these with walnut stain distress oxide.

The frames are die cut, the two came as a set.

The sentiments are different to suit the different sizes. For the larger one I die cut the sentiment, then heat embossed in black. The smaller has a stamped sentiment on a scrap of card. I edged both in black permanent pen, then mounted on a 7x7 and a 6x6 card blank.

 

 

I do love the brushos, and these warm, natural colours are such a great backdrop to a stag image, suggesting a woodland scene.

 

Now it's your turn to show us your interpretation of the sketch. Share it with us at the 52CCT blog, where you can see all the wonderful inspiration cards from my design team colleagues.

The challenge is open for a week, until Friday 10th September. Have fun!

 

Oh, so pretty

For her last week as host of the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, Jenny has chosen a fabulous stash challenge - Stencil.

So many options for what to do with this one! I went for something very simple, and I hope it doesn't sound boastful if I say I think it's turned out beautifully!

I used two frame stencils, from That Special Touch. I placed them at an angle on my card, to form a curve, then brushed distress ink over them. I used bundled sage on the holly one and tumbled glass on the snowflakes. Light colours as this is a base layer to give definition.

 

With the stencil still in place, I spritzed water onto the card in the same area, then removed the stencil. I sprinkled on brushos and left them to react in the water and dry. I used leaf green for the holly, and ultramarine with a touch of turquoise for the snowflakes.

 

Once they were completely dry, I could tap off the brusho in the dry areas that hadn't reacted.

The sentiments were stamped onto offcuts of the backgrounds from when I cut them to size. I used archival ink, in fern green and watering can. I edged the sentiment and base with the inks too.

 

Very simple, but oh, so pretty! For once, it's not the snowflakes that have won me over, my favourite is the holly.

 

 But the snowflakes are gorgeous too.

To play along, visit us at the 52CCT blog, where you'll also find all the inspiration from my design team colleagues. This challenge is open for a week, until Friday 3rd September. Have fun, I really look forward to seeing what amazing cards we receive!