Christmas sketch

 

Wow, it's October already - and the weather's turned here in the UK so it's starting to really feel Christmassy!

Majda is our host at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month. This is the sketch she's chosen for us.

 

I couldn't resist snowflakes for this! I wanted to do something quite quick (didn't work out that way though) so pulled out two backgrounds from the stash.

I cut them to size - 14 by 14 cm for a 6x6 card blank.

The eagle eyed will have noticed that one doesn't look like the photo at the top! I decided the metallic one didn't work so swapped it at the last minute for this background from the stash.

 

I edged the backgrounds in gold paint, and then in black ink.

For the panel I had the idea to use a framed lattice. I cut the frames and lattices separately. The fine lattice is a Tim Holtz corner die, so I had to turn it four ways to get a big enough area - it's testiment to the quality of the card and the die that I managed it without cutting through it.

I cut my snowflakes from the offcuts of the metallic background. I used a mixture of sets. I've recently sorted out my dies and put them in folders on magnetic sheets so they're much easier to find - so I'm enjoying using the ones I'd forgotten about!

I needed two small ones for each card, which I heat embossed using the cosmic shimmer mixed media powders.

I love these powders so much!

The rest I painted with gold paint as a base, and then heat embossed some layers.

For the snowflake for the red background I used four layers, heat embossing in black, gold glitter and copper glitter.

 

The other large snowflake had two layers and a gem - I never usually use these, but have a few for the odd occasion they're just the thing I fancy. I also added the copper glitter embossing powder on the smaller layer.

When I started putting the cards together, I decided the large snowflakes needed some defintiion, so die cut the large snowflakes in black and put them behind the gold, offset slightly.

For this one, I also stamped some black swirls, I felt they were needed.

I love the prettiness of this, the snowflake die is gorgeous.

This was the background that I originally had in mind when I planned the card - and I managed to find it in my extensive stash! It was made with petite gel plates and stencils. I love the flash of green.

I hope you have fun playing with this great sketch. The challenge is open until Friday 9th October for entries, at the 52CCT blog.