Layered (but not) snowflakes

 

Valerie's final challenge as host of 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is "One Layer CAS".

This was a bit tricky for me, as it's not my usual style - all the white space ideas I had involved layers of die cuts! Or I kept going back to this card I made in July. 

But I got there.

I stamped the sentiment first, in stormy sky oxide ink, then heat embossed with clear powder. I masked it with a strip of sticky note, then stamped the snowflakes. This is a layering stamp set from Simon Says Stamp. I stamped the base first, and added the white powder, then the top layer with gold powder. The white was hard to see so my lining up wasn't perfect! I then heated both layers together.

Finally I brushed stormy sky oxide over the side (with the mask still in place) to make the snowflakes pop out.

 

 It definitely looks better when you can see the shine!!

 

So I hope this is clean and simple enough for Valerie!

 

 

And now your turn.

You have until Friday 2nd September to visit us at the 52CCT blog and share your card.

Vintage sleds

 

Valerie has chosen "Skiing or Sledding" for her theme challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. Such a fun inspiration!

I decided to use some vintage images from design paper to fulfil the theme. I edged them in vintage photo, then layered onto hand made paper.

My background is a Christmas napkin. I drew spirals onto my card in black and grey pen, glued the top layer of the napkin down, then knocked it back with white gesso. I inked the edges in vintage photo.

I added coffee dyed lint fabirc and a strip of crochet lace under the toppers.

I stamped "Joy" on the right, and some crosses, and heat embossed in gold. I also used an embossing pen to add touches of gold around the edge.

 

The matte behind is bright red polka dot paper, I inked it with aged mahogany to get a more vintage feel.

This is a DL size.

I also made a 5x7 version, but don't like it - the Merry Christmas is wonky and the black writing looks odd. It'll go in the "I'll fix it when I have time" box.

This is the first time I've used a napkin like this, I like the pen marks showing through.

 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with! The challenge is open until Friday 26th August on the 52CCT blog. Happy crafting!

Framed Baubles

Valerie, our August host at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, has chosen a very pretty colour combination. It's not traditionally festive, but nonetheless is opulent and has a Christmas vibe (to my eye!).

 

I made this card as part of an online workshop with Angela Simpson.

The two layer frame was die cut with square stitched nesting dies. The baubles and foliage were stamped and embossed, then coloured with distress oxides and a water pen. I fussy cut them out (not my favourite job!) then arranged them inside and outside the frame.

As always, gold is hard to photograph, this was the best I could do to show the shine.

The frame does give a strong structure to the card, such a neat technique.

 

 

 

 

So now, over to you. Do pop over to the 52CCT blog to see the rest of the design team cards for inspiration. The challenge is open until Friday 19th August.

Scrappy trees

Valerie takes over as host at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month.

She has designed this sketch for us:

I thought about other ways to use the triangles, but came back to - Trees!

I use two different sized tree dies to cut bases from junk mail, then raided my strip scraps stash for pieces to build up the trees.

The reindeer is an old stamp, coloured with pergaliner watercolour pens and cut out. I printed the sentiment.

My background has a piece of thread looped around for texture - I dipped it in glue, wiped the excess off, then lowered it onto the card. With wax paper over it, I pressed it to adhere. I saw this on a Luisa Heinzl video - she then changed her mind and took the thread off to leave an impression in her gesso, but I liked the effect so have left mine. I brushed distress ink round the edge of the card, then edged the base and the sentiment in dark brown.

As the trees are quite thick due to the layers, I added pieces of card beneath parts of the second tree and sentiment to have them level, then put the reindeer on foam pads.

 

 

 

Neither of the photos show the texture that well, but I'm pleased with how these have come out, the trees are fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Now it's your turn. Visit the 52CCT blog for more inspiration and to enter your our card made with our sketch. The challenge closes on Friday 12th August.