Fairy Christmas

I've lost momentum on the blog posts over the last few days, but I'm back with our new 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge. Our first theme challenge of the year is "Fairies".

Luckily, I have a Lavinia stamp I got as part of my bargain dash last Autumn, which is perfect for this challenge.

The design of this card is copied from a card Barbara Gray demo'ed on TV recently. She used her design papers, I decided to make my own backgrounds.

I used distress oxides to make a random pattern. I wanted it quite pale. This first was purple and blue - wilted violet, faded jeans and broken china.

The next one was yellow and green - fossilised amber, twisted citron and cracked pistachio.

This one was quite uniform to start with, so I splattered with water and dabbed off for some faux bleaching, and spritzed with distress reindeers in green shades. It's still not perfect, but I really wanted to use these colours so pressed on.

Having cut the backgrounds to size, I then stamped my fairy image, using memento black ink, and the stamp platform.

I added different sentiments to each, in the same black ink.

Then the step I took from Barbara Gray. I cut a sticky note to 7 x 11 cm and positioned it over the centre of the cards, to cover the image and sentiment. I then brushed distress ink out from the sticky note. I used crushed olive for the yellow card, and for the purple one dusty concord followed by weathered wood.

This created a frame around the image.

I decided they did need something extra, so got out a small star stamp from Lavinia. I replaced the sticky note, and stamped around the frame - in silver pigment ink on the yellow one, and dusty concord on the purple one.

Masking the frame with tape, I grounded the trees, using torn paper and the brushes, without adding more ink so it was quite subtle.

To finish, I edged by dragging the ink pad round the edge - purple/black, and mounted on 5x7 card blanks.

Two more cards for the stash, and these are definitely post friendly.

To join in with our challenge and create your own Fairy themed card, pop over to the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, where you'll see all the great inspiration from my lovely design team colleagues.

The challenge closes at midnight GMT (7pm EDT) on Friday 26th January.