When is a tag not a tag?

For my theme challenge as host of 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, I've chosen "tags on cards" .

Although this was my theme, I struggled to get this card to come together!

I started with the bird. This is a die cut, which I coloured with inktense pencils, and then added gold paint.

I cut the tag using a Clarity die. I sponged antique linen distress oxide as a base, then added an old holly stamp in green, red and a gold/brown. I went over with white gesso through a brick stencil to knock the colour back. I partial stamped with a checked stamp from IndigoBlu, and heat embossed in gold. I added some black script, also an IndogoBlu stamp, then used the inktense pencils to create a ground for the bird.

I cut a second tag, in a larger size. I coloured it with the green inktense pencil to match the bird, and edged with gold paint.

Finally the base. I sponged antique linen over it, but then didn't like it, so spritzed with water and lifted most of the ink off.

I stamped the sentiment (from Clarity) and heat embossed in black. The holly and ivy stamp matches it, I stamped this around the edge in a mix of distress inks to match the bird again. Finally, I stamped the script stamp in antique linen - it doesn't really show in the photos, but gives more depth in real life.

 

The tags and base I edged with a black permanent pen.

I put it all together, with some sari ribbon I've had forever to attach the tags - they hang freely. I didn't know how to fasten the ribbon on, so ended up sewing it.

 

I didn't manage a photo that shows the richness of this, or the gold touches. You'll have to trust me!!

I do like the movement from having the tag hanging freely.

 

 

 

 

Your card can have a tag like this, or as a sentiment, or as part of an image, or even a tag shaped card!! To join in, head over to 52CCT. You have a week to enter, the challenge closes on Friday 26th February.

Have fun!

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!

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.

Hot chocolate - subtly

For her theme challenge, Netta has chosen "Cocoa".

This gave me a challenge as I didn't have anything with a mug or similar on - I went through all my stamps in case one had snuck in, but nothing!

So I had to take a different tack. I wrote out a Christmas tree in Word, with the words "Hot chocolate, cold snow, warm hugs". This took a bit of fiddling with font sizes but I think it came out okay - I'm sure there are tools to make it easy if I'd looked. I then printed it out - at this point I thought maybe fewer rows woud have been better, but just wanted to get it done as I was running late again!

I brushed antique linen distress oxide ink around the outside, then stamped holly sprigs and sprays around it, in vintage photo, victorian velvet, bundled sage and fossilised amber.

They over whelmed the tree a bit, so I masked the tree and spritzed with water to soften. As I was working on printer card, I was a bit nervous how it would take the water, but it held up okay.

I could have coloured in the same  inks, but got a new set of inktense pencils for Valentine's Day (yes, I have a wonderful hubby!) so wanted to play with those.

I sponged vintage photo around the edge.

To knock the holly back more and frame the tree, I die cut a lattice. This is one of my Tim Holtz Christmas dies, I'm getting so much use from this set! I cut four and arranged them in each corner, overlapping. I didn't need to match them up perfectly, they still looked good.

Final step, I ran the vintage photo ink pad around the outside, then mounted on a 6x6 card blank.

I didn't really have a plan when I printed the base of this card out, but I actually really like where it's ended up - I think it's very pretty.

And more or less meets the challenge theme.


To join in and share your Cocoa/Hot Chocolate themed card, pop onto the 52CCT blog. There is also lots of amazing inspiration for the other design team members. You have until Friday 21st February. Happy crafting.