Layered (but not) snowflakes

 

Valerie's final challenge as host of 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is "One Layer CAS".

This was a bit tricky for me, as it's not my usual style - all the white space ideas I had involved layers of die cuts! Or I kept going back to this card I made in July. 

But I got there.

I stamped the sentiment first, in stormy sky oxide ink, then heat embossed with clear powder. I masked it with a strip of sticky note, then stamped the snowflakes. This is a layering stamp set from Simon Says Stamp. I stamped the base first, and added the white powder, then the top layer with gold powder. The white was hard to see so my lining up wasn't perfect! I then heated both layers together.

Finally I brushed stormy sky oxide over the side (with the mask still in place) to make the snowflakes pop out.

 

 It definitely looks better when you can see the shine!!

 

So I hope this is clean and simple enough for Valerie!

 

 

And now your turn.

You have until Friday 2nd September to visit us at the 52CCT blog and share your card.

Framed Baubles

Valerie, our August host at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, has chosen a very pretty colour combination. It's not traditionally festive, but nonetheless is opulent and has a Christmas vibe (to my eye!).

 

I made this card as part of an online workshop with Angela Simpson.

The two layer frame was die cut with square stitched nesting dies. The baubles and foliage were stamped and embossed, then coloured with distress oxides and a water pen. I fussy cut them out (not my favourite job!) then arranged them inside and outside the frame.

As always, gold is hard to photograph, this was the best I could do to show the shine.

The frame does give a strong structure to the card, such a neat technique.

 

 

 

 

So now, over to you. Do pop over to the 52CCT blog to see the rest of the design team cards for inspiration. The challenge is open until Friday 19th August.

Simple reindeer

 

Jenny's colour choice at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week is fresh and bold:

 

I've opted for a CAS approach to this one - so it's WHITE red and aqua.

I ran my card through an embossing folder, the stamped the sentiment in black archival. I added the lines with a pen and ruler (with masking tape either end to get them even). I then added the little reindeer.

I tried a landscape version, but the folder edge marked the card when I put it at an angle, then the card warped when I tried to wetting it to get the crease out. I also didn't edge the card before embossing it, so the inked edge looks a bit messy. Hindsight is wonderful!

 

Maybe I'll remount it, with wide super sticky tape for the warping, and trimming the edge and using a matte behind instead.

 

 

 Simple, but quite stylish I think!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are lots more cards for inspiration on the 52CCT blog, then I'd love for you to share your own version of our colour challenge. You have a week, until Friday 15th July, to play along.

Rustic Stag

A new month and a new host at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown! Jenny is with us for July, and as always she kicks off with a sketch.

I used this gorgeous stag head die. I cut it from inked paper, then gently overstamped with a music stamp.

The circle is cut from brown card, embossed then highlighted with oxide inks.

Behind we have a strip from an old dictionary, which I inked to age, then stencilled holly leaves for a more festive feel. The other piece is card which I inked direct to paper in brown, then embossed and highlighted in red.

The background uses a tree stamp from Clarity, and forest moss oxide ink. Finally I matted it onto card I inked with brown, a bit of red, and then a very dark stazon ink around the edge of both pieces.

 

 

The photos don't show the warmth this has in real life. I do like the background, this is one of my favourite distress shades.

 

 

 

 

To play along with this sketch, pop over and visit the 52CCT blog. You have a week to join in, until Friday 8th July. Happy playing!

Embossed Snowflakes

 

Branka rounds off the month of June at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown with a technique challenge, and she's chosen:

I decided to use the letter presse technique, with stormy sky distress oxide. The ink only transferred around the snowflakes, not sure why, but it's very pretty!

After that I kept it simple - a white die cut snowflake, and printed sentiment. I added dyed lint behind to help it stand out.

At this stage, the background looked a bit much, it needed breaking up. Thread didn't work, I wanted something more open, so added the little die cuts from my stash, inked with chipped sapphire. I used water to faux bleach, to knock them back a bit, but think they're still a bit strong. Maybe needs another one at the opposite corner for balance.

 

 

Pretty, delicate, and also has the bonus of fitting with our June challenge at the Berkhamsted Creative Challenge of "Blue".

 

 

 

 

To play along with this challenge, come and visit us at the 52CCT blog. You have a week, until Friday 1st July, to play along.

 

 

 

 

Black and White

For June, Branka is hosting the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. She starts with a sketch for us to play with.

 

I have a lot on at the moment, so am trying to keep it simple for my cards.

This one started with the base sqaure, I die cut a circle into it. I edged the circle and outside edge in black, then ran it through an embossing folder.

I cut a smaller square to go behind, and stamped the poinsettia, from Tina Cox for Clarity. I used versafine clair for a strong black.

I stamped the swirl stamp in the same ink, and cut the strips. They looked a little odd individually, but together you can see the swirl pattern and it works much better. The sentiment is printed. The strips and sentiment were edged in black, then I put it all together.

 

 

Simple and stylish in black and white - at least I think so!

 

 

 

 

 

Now over to you, how will you interpret the sketch? You have a week to join in on the 52CCT blog, until Friday 10th June.

CAS sketch

It's been a bit quiet on here for a while; I've been under the weather, so concentrating on my cards for this month. I'm hosting the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for March, so couldn't miss these ones - and wouldn't want to.

I start with a sketch for you to play with.

This card was the second idea and the quick one I made while my "proper" idea dried etc - but I think I like it more.

It's a DL card, I stamped and embossed the design in silver. It's the top of a Christmas tree stamp, but sufficiently abstract and ornate that at this angle, I don't think it yells "sideways Christmas tree". You may disagree!

Then a fancy sentiment at the bottom - with some lovely white space between, I don't often manage that!

I didn't even edge the card before mounting - in real life the shadow gives a bit more definition than the photo shows.

 

And of course, it has the lovely metallic shine, which the photos don't capture at all!

I don't often do CAS cards, so this is a bit unusual but very pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

To share your take on the sketch, visit us at 52CCT, where you can also see the wonderful cards from my design team colleagues.

The challenge is open for a week, to Friday 11th March.

Happy crafting!

Fairy Lights

I can't believe we've reached the final challenge of 2021 at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

As we enter the final run up to the big day, I hope we've helped you to build up a great stash of cards you're proud to send to friends and family.

This challenge gives you plenty of scope for those last minute efforts - or maybe you're starting next year's collection!

 

 

I have revisited the November theme challenge of Fairy Lights - except I missed this one, so not really revisiting!

 

I drew the line of fairy lights, using free pictures online as a guide. I went over with an embossing pen, and heat embossed in platinum.

I added brusho powder inside the bulbs, in alizarin crimson, leaf green, and yellow. I then spritzed with water, to activate the pigment. I got lovely bright colours, with a beautiful "glow" around the bulbs.

Once dry, the colours weren't quite so vivid, so I added a gloss glaze to the bulbs, to lift them.

I cut down to size, and used the offcuts to stamp the sentiment in black archival.

I edged the card and the sentiment, and put together on a 6x6 card blank.

I never tire of using brushos, I love the effects they give!

 

 

 

 

 

To play along, pop over to our 52CCT blog. You have all month for this challenge, entries close on Saturday 1st January 2022 (!)

Happy crafting, a very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, and see you next year.

 

Pop-Up Baubles

 

I am here with Majda's final challenge for the month at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - it's either stash or technique, and she has chosen "Pop-Up" cards.
 

My card is a twist out design. I learnt this at a workshop with Angela Simpson earlier in the year (online!). She used it with a lovely colouring technique - I was running late but was able to catch up as I used brushos instead! Much quicker!

I cut all my pieces, from watercolour card and black, then stamped and embossed. This is a lovely folksy bauble set. Then sprinkle on the brusho, spritz, and watch the magic! I think I used alizarin crimson, yellow and emerald green.

And next, construct the card - I won't try to explain how it goes together, but it's easy once you know how!!

And the final card goes into a C6 envelope - although it's quite thick, so not one to post!!

To play along, head over to the 52CCT blog. The challenge is open for TWO weeks (we have a break on the 5th Saturday of the month), so you have until Friday 5th November to enter.

Happy playing!

Sparkle magic

Rosi's theme challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week is an unusual one - In A Jar. Doesn't that get your creativity buzzing?

My card this week has been one of those that did not flow at all!

I don't have a jar stamp or equivalent, so there wasn't an obvious starting place. I eventually came up with a vague idea for fairies and elves holding jars, and tippping sparkles over a Christmas tree, but realised that would be far too complicated to take on right now!

So I settled on a simpler design, with this elf, from the Clarity Christmas wee folk. He usually carries a pile of presents, but I masked that part of the stamp.

In my first version , he was a yellowy colour, and I added green clothing with a pencil. But it looked all wrong! The second version I forgot to mask the presents! This is version three. I used a pencil to suggest the clothing.

The jar is a free downloaded image. Even this was troublesome - most I found had the lid on! Or they were too crisp, or too sketchy.... I printed this, and cut out. The twine was coloured with a pencil. (And I couldn't even find a sharpener!!!)

The stars are a Lavinia stamp, heat embossed in platinum. I added glitter pen around them to add to the magical feeling, and on the jar to tone down the white.

I used a little brown ink and a water pen to ground my elf.

In all my extensive stamp selection, I apparently don't have a single "Magic". So I used an alphabet set, I tried a few until I settled on this one. The letters are heat embossed, and the card glittered with the pen.

My design was tall and thin now, with hindsight I might have made a slimline card.

Instead, I made a background to go either side. The first version of this, with heat embossed script and red holly, was abandoned after several attempts to rescue it, and I went for this bright and easy version. Oxides in pink, blue and a little red applied to an acrylic block, spritzed and dabbed onto the card. Then the same star stamp and embossing powder used randomly.

I edged everything with a gold sharpie pen - even this slipped at one point!

 

 

So it's been a bit like pulling teeth at times, but the card is finally finished, and I do quite like it!

I don't know whether to make loads now I've gone through the pain of figuring it out, or to never do this again!!

I hope you have an easier time with this challenge. You have a week, until Friday 24th September, to enter, over on the 52CCT blog. You can also see all the inspiration from the rest of the design team.

Steampunk Robin

Jenny's theme choice for the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week is Birds.

 

The card above is not the one I meant to make at all! I was all set, and had started, a card using the very pretty bird bauble stamps from Tina Cox for Clarity. However, when on holiday I'd found this steampunk Christmas stamp set, which I couldn't resist. So I decided to play with this while the other card dried - and ended up having such fun I finished this one instead!

I stamped the bird first, and heat embossed with a mixture of black and copper. I then masked this and stamped the tree, heat embossing partially in gold and partially in silver.

Masking the bird again, I brushed some colour (fossilised amber and vintage photo distress oxide) into the background. I then over stamped with other stamps from the set, as well as a cog background I already had, in potting soil archival ink and other distress oxides.

I sponged some vintage photo around the bird (using the mask still) to give a drop shadow.

I coloured the bird with distress oxides and a water pen. Rusty hinge was perfect, and apt, for his chest, with green and red for the holly to give a festive touch. The rest was various browns, used alone and mixed, and with black soot, to give a variety of shades. I also used the water pen to activate the oxides in the background within the tree, to define it a bit more.

The sentiment is also from this set, I stamped and embossed in copper. It was getting a bit lost on the busy background, so I sponged antique linen oxide over the area to knock it back, then wiped the ink off the embossing.

To finish, I blended vintage photo around the outside, and swiped a black archival ink pad across the edges.

 

I am really rather fond of my steam punk robin, with his rusty chest. A bit different and quirky! And the set I think will be useful, some of the smaller stamps will be great for backgrounds.

 

 

 

So, I hope you're inspired to play along with our challenge. To see the fabulous cards from the rest of the design team, and share your card, visit us at the 52CCT blog. The challenge is open for a week, until Friday 27th August. Have fun!!

Baublicious

Jenny has chosen an unusual but very pretty colour combination for us at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week.

It took a little while to think what I wanted to do for this, and a bit of serendipity played a part.

The background uses an embossing folder, I saw a youtube of someone using this technique, which I haven't done for ages, so decided to have a play.

I didn't have an ink that I would call aqua (there was a bit of a discussion at home about what colour aqua was, how much green is in it!). So I blended distress oxides, mostly peacock feathers, with a bit of tumbled glass and bundled sage sponged on. Cracked postacio may have been a better green to use, with hindsight. I added the ink to the deboss side of the folder, and spritzed the card with water before running through the embossing machine. I had a few iterations, this was the one I was happy with - although the photo is doesn't show the touch of green there is in real life!

(You can see I also used a spray over an embossed panel, but haven't made that into a card yet. The spray was also a blend, of distress reinker colours.)

I was going to do a gel plate paint print for the rose pink, but then on holiday last week I treated myself to some pink alcohol inks, and a gold mixative (amongst other crafty things!). So it seemed rude not to use them for this colour challenge.

I used these, again blending the pinks to get a shade I liked, to make a background sheet. I used yupo paper and coated card as bases, to compare.

I preferred the piece on coated paper, although that's not what I ended up using!

Onto these, I stamped my baubles in versamark ink, and heat embossed with a light gold powder. Of course, yupo paper is plastic so doesn't handle heat well - it curled up a lot!

However, once I'd fussy cut them out, I preferred them, they had more dimension, and the card ones looked flat in comparison. So those are the ones I used. And the rest have gone in an envelope to be used another time!

I arranged on the base, then stuck down with red linetape, to cope with the plastic surface, curl and embossed base.

At this point I realised I hadn't cut my base to size, it was slightly large (as is my usual practice, in case I don't like a bit or the edge pools or something). Fortunately, it was only slightly too large, because the baubles weren't coming off! I trimmed the base slightly, and made my card blank a bit bigger than usual, and it worked out.

I sponged peacock feathers around the edge, then added the bauble strings with a gel pen and ruler. The gold was a bit too yellow next to the embossing, so I used a little silver as well, while the ink was still wet, mixing them on the page to get a more subtle gold colour.

So, there you have my rose pink, aqua and gold card. Unfortunately the photo has distorted the colours a little, and the texture on the base and baubles looks a lot better in real life! But this is such a pretty colour combination, I hope you can get a feel for it.

 

 

To play along with this challenge, visit us at the 52CCT blog. You have a week, until Friday 20th August, to enter your card into our gallery.

A sketch - or five

Jenny is our host for August at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. She has some great challenges lined up so I hope you'll be inspired to craft along and start, or build up, that Christmas card stash for the end of the year.

She has chosen a fun sketch for us.

As soon as I saw this, I thought of a bauble stamp I have. I was sure I'd blogged cards made with it before, but don't seen to have done so.

I got a bit carried away with this sketch so have a few cards to show you! Unfortunately the photos haven't come out particularly well.

 

This first is a CAS of a card I made for hubby last Christmas.

I stamped the image and embossed on black. I then added brushos, in alizarin crimson, yellow and emerald green, and spritzed with water.

Once dry, I used inktense pencils to bring out the baubles, and polychromo pencils to knock back the background in places, and add a drop shadow.

The sentiment is from Clarity's sticker sentiments.

For this one, I used the stamp platform and inked the stamp in distress oxides. I think I used aged mahogany, fossilised amber, and some green... can't remember which!

I spritzed the card and stamp with water before stamping, so the ink moved around. I repeated for more ink, then left to dry without taking the stamp out of the stamp platform.

Once the stamped image had dried, I over stamped with watering can grey archival ink. As the stamp hadn't been moved, it lined up perfectly. I am so happy with how this has come out!

The sentiment is stamped on a scrap of card with the same grey ink, which I've also used to edge the sentiment and card.

After the colour stamping for the card above, there was ink left on the stamp, so I stamped onto another piece of card, which I'd spritzed with water to activate the oxides. It gave a lovely soft print, although the ink didn't travel much.

I overstamped in the grey as above, but as there wasn't so much colour, I added in a watercoloured background with inktense. I liked the prettiness of the baubles so decided to colour the negative space. It's by no means great watercolouring but I'm still really pleased with this, it may be my favourite!

I put this onto a 5x5 card blank (the others are 6x6).

The other thought I had when looking at Jenny's sketch, which is inevitable for circles, was snowflakes!

I tried the same technique as above with the stamping platform and the bleeding ink. I did one with oxides and one with distress inks, to compare. There wasn't too much difference, and neither bled as much as I hoped. It may be the card I used for this one, although it is designed to take water, or maybe the stamps are too fine to hold enough ink.

I over stamped the snowflakes with versamark and heat embossed in white.

They looked quite lonely and plain on an expanse of white, and not in a good way! So I needed to add layers to these cards.

For the card above, I heat embossed the Merry Christmas at the bottom, then stamped the "Let it Snow" stamp in archival, with shades of blue and second, third and fourth generation. I then smooshed through blue inks on the mat. 

For the card below, I stamped the Let It Snow sentiment in archival cornflower blue, then heat embossed a lovely background word stamp over the rest of the card, masking the snowflakes and sentiments, before smooshing.

 

The snowflakes had sunk back a lot, so I sponged more oxide over these and the Merry Christmas sentiment, and spritzed with water, to make the embossing pop out.

I edged with blue and mounted on DL cards.

The photos of these are particularly bad, the camera hasn't coped with the mottled background! They are quite soft but pretty, with delicate detail that doesn't show in the photos.

 

So, there are my efforts using the sketch. I hope that, together with my design team collegues on the 52CCT blog, I have inspired you to play along.

This challenge is open for a week, until the 13th August.

Enjoy!!