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Friday 9 September 2016

Words and music make it

Christmas card in warm red and brown/cream shades; three squares with a central snow scene

It's the first week of the month, so we have a sketch from the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge.

52CCT September sketch

I used a die from a nesting set for my "squares" - a bit of a more interesting shape.

For the two on the outside, I die cut and embossed the shapes (from Clarity stencil card, as is the whole card except the card base), and left them in the die while I coloured them. This created the white border. I used antique linen distress ink through a music stencil from That Special Touch first. This is a stencil I've had for ages and not used before - I'm trying to use things like this from my crafty stash, rather than the same few things all the time. I then stamped parts of a music background stamp, using brushed corduroy. I didn't used a mount, just pressed areas onto the card with my fingers. Finally, I blended brushed corduroy around the edge, which really brought them together.

2 ornate squares with music notes pattern in warm brown and cream with white border

For the central shape, I cut and embossed with the same die, and again added ink while it was still in the die. I use the brushed corduroy and aged mahogany.

Ornate square with warn red and brown, in the die used to cu the square

For the foreground, I used a circular scene die. I carefully kept all the dots from the sky part of the die - I missed a few but got most of them.

White circular snow scene die cut

I glued this onto the background, then fitted it back into the die and re-cut it, to trim off the excess and re-establish the embossed border.

Snow scene in white on a warm red/brown background, on an ornate square with white border

The scene was a little too white, so I brushed antique linen distress ink into the centre, and with a Faber Castell pencil very lightly added some details to the houses and trees, so they were less cartoon-like.

I wanted a narrow border for this square, narrower than the next die in the set would give. So I drew around the outside of the die and careful cut it out with scissors. I coloured it with  aged mahogany, then toned it down with brushed corduroy.

The background is an idea I copied straight from one of the Clarity Design Team cards from the telly last weekend.

I brushed antique linen onto card, to tone down the base, then stamped the words "Merry", "Christmas" and "Noel" from the word chain stamps, all over, using aged mahogany and brushed corduroy again, and second and third generation stamping. I then went back with the same stamps and antique linen, and stamped over, filling in any blank areas. I really like the effect this gives, and it's a bit different from a single sentiment. The example from the telly had Merry Christmas stamped in black over the top once. I quite like how I've ended up with a red Merry Christmas at the bottom of the card - luck rather than judgement! I completely forgot to take photos from this point!

I cut a mount and blended the same colours around the edge, and then a narrow strip of card to go across, to ground the squares a little.

I put it together on a 5x7 card base, then decided that it needed a little something else on the corners. I tried a few things, and settled on a tattered lace corner die, coloured with aged mahogany and brushed corduroy again.

Christmas card in warm red and brown/cream shades; three squares with a central snow scene

I'm pleased with how the card has come together. Just using three ink colours throughout has given it a nice co-ordinated feel, and these colours are warm and Christmassy.
Christmas card in warm red and brown/cream shades; three squares with a central snow scene

For me it's the backgrounds that make this card - I'm really pleased with both the musical pattern on the side squares, and the random word background. I'm already thinking how I could use this elsewhere!



4 comments:

  1. Elle est superbe cette carte Lucinda, très joli paysage et magnifique dégradé merci de jouer avec nous chez 52cçt, biz

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    1. Merci Fabiola, et merci pour l'inspiration

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  2. Stunning! I really like the way you show the process. This is a very elegant and vintage looking Christmas card. Thanks so much for playing along with 52CCT this week! Deborah, DT.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Deborah, maybe it's indulgent of me, but I like to record and share my learning process!

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate hearing from you, and try to respond to every one.

Lucinda