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Saturday 23 January 2021

Metallic with brushos


Andreja's stash challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week is to use metallic papers on our cards.

 

I scratched my head over this one as I don't really use these or have any. But a little rummage unearthed some very pretty copper paper, with an embossed heart pattern. And that is what I have used.

I die cut a large Merry Christmas design with a new die set. I had it on the table when I was making my sketch card earlier in the month, and it ended up on the aperture where I'd cut my frame out. I really liked them together, but didn't want the crispness of an aperture card.

Instead, I laid the aperture over my card and spritzed water through it. I removed the aperture and sprinkled brusho into the water. I think this was emerald green.

I did need to replace the aperture and add more water - which was a nervous moment, but it worked fine.



Once dry, I flicked off the loose powder to reveal the design.

I'm quite amazed by the detail that has been retained, not perfect of course, but a lovely effect. Hubby thinks it looks like lips though.

I cut it to size and adhered the die cut over it.

I edged with a copper (maybe bronze?) sharpie, and mounted on a 5x7 card blank.

 

Simple, but a bit diffferent. I haven't done brushos through a stencil for a while, I might have to revisit that technique!

I love this die cut, it comes with a scene, but when I saw this sentiment I had to have it!

 

Now it's your turn - dig out your metallic papers and see what amazing Christmas cards you can create. The challenge is open until Friday 5th February - 2 weeks as there are 5 Saturdays in January. Share your card at 52CCT.

Enjoy your crafty play x

Saturday 16 January 2021

Bells


The third week of each month is a theme challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

Andreja has chosen "Bells" for us to play with this month.



I have had this bell stamp for years, it was a ClarityStamp design club stamp from when I was a member, but I've never used it. So this was its chance for glory!

I stamped it in the middle of a large sheet of card with versafine clair black, then heat embossed in clear.

I then added brishos around the image and spritzed. The colours are alazarin crimson and sandstone - both new for Christmas so had to have a play! I kept them quite central around the image as I like the effects at the edge of the brushos and didn't want to have to crop that off.

Once dry I coloured the image with inktense watercolour pencils and a water brush.



I've done this before and really liked the effect. Here, on the other hand , I was fighting the brusho colour too much, it really didn't work and the card started to pill. Oops!

But I like the brushos, and there's always (usually) a way to rescue things. I stamped the image again on a scrap of the same card, and coloured it as before but without the brushos. I then fussy cut it out and adhered over the original.

The sentiment is stamped in black and heat embossed in clear. I edged this and the background, cut to size, with a black permanent pen. It went on a 6x6 card blank.



 

Beautifully bright and wild! I love the randomness of brushos, and the gorgeous shades.

And nice to have finally had a use for this stamp.

 

  


To play along with our "Bells" challenge, visit us at the 52CCT blog, where you'll find lots of inspiration from the rest of the design team. You have until Friday 22nd January to enter.

Happy crafting!

Saturday 9 January 2021

Holly


Andreja has chosen a very calming and natural colour combination for us to play with at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week.

 

The observant will notice I used these colours last week - I was trying to do something different but it just came out that way! So there's double the inspiration for you.

This card was inspired by an All & Create stamp, which has a fern leaf surrounded by text.

I wanted a holly leaf but didn't have a stamp or stencil the appropriate size. So I decided to draw one. This is definitely out of my comfort zone! I looked at lots of images, then drew out an outline.


I traced this onto card using inktense pencils, then coloured it in with the pencils and a water pen. I'm a beginner at this so it's not great but it's so much fun using these pencils, so I'll have to practice.


I cut a mask from the masking plastic from Clarity and put that over, and masked the edges with tape. I stamped over with potting soil archival ink and a Christmas text wooden stamp. It wasn't perfectly lined up stamping but I think it worked.



When I removed the masks it looked beautifully crisp around the leaf and edge!

Unfortunately, when I inked the edges with the brown, I managed to get some smudges on the right side - I am so annoyed with myself! But never mind.




 

A bit different for me, and quite simple, I like the effect. I think you could embellish this further, but given the challenges of home schooling and working at home, this will do!

 

 

 

 

This challenge is open until Friday 15th January, to join in visit the 52CCT blog. Looking forward to seeing what lovely cards you come up with.

Saturday 2 January 2021

Welcome to 2021

 


Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's the first 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge of 2021.

I hope you'll join us through the year to build up a selection of cards ready to send to your loved ones when we reach the next festive season.

Andreja is our first host for this year, and here is the sketch she has chosen:



I got an oval frame die for Christmas so had to use that!

I started with cutting the oval inner, and inking with iced spruce distress oxide.

I cut trees and a deer with dies, and inked the deer with frayed burlap.



I put a little scene together, the  decided the "sky" was too plain. So I covered the other areas over, flicked water on and blotted, for a dappled faux bleach for some interest.



I cut the frame twice and layered up together for depth.

The sentiment I simply stamped onto a scrap in iced spruce, then layered onto card inked with frayed burlap.



For my base, I inked card in the frayed burlap again. It is identical to my kraft card so I could have used that, but wanted the smoother finish.

I inked a wood grain embossing folder with the iced spruce and ran the inked card through.



Plan A was to use string around the base for the green part of the sketch. This raised one side of the oval up a lot. I tried adding foam pads to lift the other side (plan B) but didn't like the effect. So I took the string and foam pads away and plan C was a flat card, relying on the wood grain for the vertical element.

 

 

 

This ended up with quite a Scandi feel, I like the crisp lines and soft colours (I tried to add brighter/more colours but they just wouldn't work!) 




To join us and kick off your Christmas card stash for 2021, head over to our 52CCT blog. You have until Friday 8th January to enter.