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Friday 11 November 2016

A warm welcome at Christmas

Christmas card, houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment and 3 presents on the left

We're back with another sketch at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge this week.

52CCT sketch - three squares in a vertical line on left, square behind

I love this design, it's sparked so many ideas. I have several cards half made using this, and some stash pieces from things that didn't work out, but here's the card I finished.

I started with Clarity stencil card, and stamped the wee houses along the bottom, using potting soil archival ink.

Masked houses with a moon mask above

I added a mask for a large moon, and also masked the houses (the masks come with the stamps, makes it very easy).

Next I added the sky with chipped sapphire distress ink, using the brayer.

Masked houses with a moon mask above, in a dark blue sky

I stamped stars in the background with versa mark, hoping for a resist effect, but they didn't show through the ink.

I used a make up sponge to add ink around the moon and houses, to sharpen up the edges.


With the masks removed, there's a nice contrast.

Houses with a moon above in a dark blue sky

I brushed a bit of blue across the moon, to tone down the whiteness a little bit.

I stamped a sentiment across the moon, using the Clarity word chains. First time in the potting soil archival.

Houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment

I took a picture at this stage in case I mucked up the next bit.

I then used aged mahogany distress ink, second generation, for a drop shadow.

Houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment with drop shadow


Not perfect, could have been straighter and closer to the original, but still like the effect.

I trimmed the card down, and edged with brown sharpie.

Next to add some colour to the houses. I used Faber Castell pencils. Warm yellow for the windows, and red/brown shades to fit in with the line art and words.

Coloured houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment

For the three squares down the side, I die cut three presents, using a Tattered Lace die.

I cut pieces to fit behind, and brayered ink on in red, brown and blue to coordinate with the background. I didn't like the bows on the die, so cut a different bow using a spellbinders die, and inked though the die to give a white border.

3 die cut  filigree presents, white with re, brown and blue behind, with matching bows

The orginal idea was to have Santa's sleigh going across the moon, which makes more sense of the presents!

Blue houses stamped below a large moon, with Santa's sleigh

This is the first version using that idea, but it was a bit too blue, and I cut it portrait for a 5x7 card base, then didn't have space for the squares. I'll find a way to use this though, maybe add sparkly snowflakes down the side.

This time, I used a 6x6 card base. I mounted the background and the presents on foam tape to raise them up, with the bows on little pads. The top one was off the top of the background, so needed two tiny pads, and a bit of super sticky tape under one of the tails to secure it.

Christmas card, houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment and 3 presents on the left


I like the warmth that using the brown tones gives to my favourite blue. It feels much more like a traditional Christmas card.





Christmas card, houses with a moon above, Season's Greetings sentiment and 3 presents on the left


And I have finally used my wee houses - I wanted these from launch, treated myself in the summer, but hadn't actually put them to use. They're such lovely, detailed stamps.





6 comments:

  1. Oh wow! I love your take on the sketch. The row of houses are so sweet and I just love the parcel die cuts! I do like the way you've created a shadow for the sentiment. Thanks so much for playing along with 52CCT this week! Deborah, DT.

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    1. Thanks Deborah. These houses are lovely, I got them thinking of New Home cards, but they are very cosy for Christmas too. I need to practise positioning my shadows a bit!

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  2. Love your card Lucinda, great background and thanks for share the process....great colours and double stamping

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    1. Thank you Robyn. After lots of blue cards I'm getting into lovely warm colours now. Must be the change in the weather making me want to feel cosy!

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  3. magnifique Lucinda, j'aime ta façon d’interpréter ce sketch, merci de jouer avec nous chez 52CCT, biz

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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