Snowflake bonanza!

Becca has given me a gift of a theme challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week!

Given that I've had snowflakes on my last 3 cards, and probably on the majority of Christmas cards I make, this was an easy one! The biggest problem was how to narrow down what to do.

Having done a simple card last week, I decided to go more mixed media this time.

I pulled out adirondack inks, in denim and sandal, for a change. I started with two stencils, one positive and one negative.

I also used a word stamp from a very pretty snowflake set. It's not something I'd use as a sentiment on a card, but I love it for background in this context.

I couldn't decide whether to cut this down to 5x7 or 6x6, so hubby persuaded me to make a second and do both!

Spot the cat paws in the background - my little boy likes to sit close by when I'm crafting!

I took each of these in different directions.

The portrait one, I edged with the denim, and stamped some small snowflakes round for a frame.

I embossed opposite corners with a snowflake folder (I realised I have at least 4) and added bronze gilding wax.

I die cut a big snowflake and a little one, both Tim Holtz dies. I inked the little one in denim.

I also die cut two snowflake sprays, and inked one with denim and sandal, and added the gilding wax too.

I got a green tinge where the inks mixed, but I can live with it. It looks very verdegris!

I didn't want to add a sentiment, but felt it needed a little more focus. I stamped just "Snowflakes" from the word stamp onto an offcut of the background, to place among the swirls.

I arranged the diecuts onto the card, and mounted on a 5x7 blank.

I'm really happy with how this turned out - for once I resisted the urge to fill in every area so have managed to leave some relatively open space.







For the square background, I wanted to do something different.

I used a snowflake frame stencil around the outside. I inked the stencil in denim, then ran it through the embossing machine. While the stencil was still in place, I sponged white gesso over everything to knock it back .

I used a polychromo pencil to add colour to the stencil frame as it hadn't taken everywhere - and gesso had leaked under in places too.

I stamped a "Let it Snow" sentiment in the centre. I used the denim first, but it didn't take too well over the gesso. So I restamped with dark blue stazon. I lined up the stamp by hand as I'd taken it off the stamp platform in between, so it wasn't quite spot on, but looks like a drop shadow so I quite like it!

I edged in denim then the stazon, and used a white gel pen to bring out the sentiment more, and to add dots around the card for more detail.

This one went on a 6x6 card blank.

This frame is so pretty, I forgot I had it for ages and have been wanting to use it since I rediscovered it. For me this card has a delicate, snow flurry feel.




I've really enjoyed making two such different cards from one background.

Whether you have an obsessive number of snowflakes in your stash like me, or just a single stamp, have fun creating your own snowflakes Christmas card. You can share with us at 52CCT until Friday 26th June.