Vintage stag

It's time for Andreja L's colour challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. She's chosen shades of brown.

I've seen this frame idea a couple of times recently and wanted to emulate it.

The scene is very simple - one tree stamp, one stag stamp and one ink pad - potting soil archival ink. I used first, second and third generation for the trees, then repeat stamped the stag with my stamping platform.

For the background, I used pumice stone oxide ink, then walnut stain and frayed burlap for the stamping and stencilling over it. I added some holly to give a more Christmassy feel! Once the frame was adhered, I used a brown pencil to go round to add a little definition.

This was an interesting challenge - I would normally have added at least a touch of another colour. But I like the vintage feel and the calm this creates.

So now it's your turn - how will you use browns to make a card? Visit us at 52CCT to see the rest of the design team inspiration, and to share your card. The challenge is open for a week, until Friday 21st January.

Moonlight deer

Happy New Year!!

It's good to be back with the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown in 2022.

A slightly slow start due to covid visiting us over Christmas, and still making itself felt, but here's my first card, using the sketch Andreja L has set for the week.

I have rotated the sketch for my card.

The moon was made with an outer mask then a small gel plate with grey ink, splattered with water. I love the way this turned out!

The sky uses a Lavinia stencil and stormy sky oxide ink (both Christmas presents!). The mask inner was used.

The background trees are a Clarity mask, with iced spruce, bundled sage and old paper oxides.

I overstamped with archival inks and Lavinia stamps.

The die cuts are Tim Holtz (the tree) and Tattered Lace (the deer). I smooshed oxide onto them to colour them.

The sentiment is from an old set, stamped in archival, blue then grey the black at the bottom (using a stamping platform).

And black soot oxide blended round the edge, then black archival swiped on the edges, to frame.

 

 

This is what I think of as a very Lavinia style card, despite using a range of products. Lots of depth from the layers. It's good to be off the mark!

 

 

 

 

 

To join in, visit us on the 52CCT blog. You'll be able to see the rest of the design team inspiration, and share your card with us. You have until Friday 14th January to enter.

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.

 

Christmas kisses

I missed a week on 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, my daughter's birthday and party took priority! But I have a plan for that challenge.....

This week, Gill has asked us to use the stamp kissing technique.

I used a background stamp that I think of as damask/wallpaper - I've no idea what it's actually called. I started with a holly stamp kissed against it, but that didn't work well. So I swapped to this texture stamp. I used distress oxides, with a mixture of antique linen and pumice stone sponged on first, then peeled paint added with the second stamp.

Once I had my panel, it was a case of making a card around it!

The base is brushos, with a large script stamp used to lift and then restamp. I also stamped in forest moss and vintage photo ink, into the wet brushos.

The holly squares and sentiment are watercoloured with oxides.

I also used oxides and a waterbrush to add drop shadow and an edging.

 

It hasn't all come together quite right. This is one of those cards that could have done with walking away for a day and revisiting with fresh eyes. But I was on a deadline!

To join in, and get some guidance and inspiration, visit the 52CCT blog. This challenge is open until Friday 3rd December. Almost Christmas!!

 

 

 

Alcohol ink baubles

Gill is our host at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for the month, and has set a colour challenge for us:

I got ahead for this one, during a workshop earlier in the year using alcohol inks on a gel plate, with stencils.

 

The two on the left are from the gelplate, applied through the stencil (from Clarity) then lifted with white acrylic. The ones on the right are then cleaning off the stencil, with IPA.

I used top right and bottom left.

 

I didn't muck around with these at all. I simply cut a section to fit the side of a 6x6 card blank and edged with black pen. I stamped the sentiment in black archival, and added dots with a black pen.

 

 

A simple layout to allow the alcohol ink designs to shine.

 

The two techniques give different effects - the first is brighter and cleaner, but I really love this more grungy look.

To play along come and visit us at 52CCT.

This challenge is open for a week, to Friday 19th November.

Have fun!

 

Holly layers

We welcome Gill to host 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month, as we enter the final run up to the big day!

As always, she starts the month with a sketch.

I went for a layered, mixed media card with a limited colour palette.

I started with an A4 sheet of card, and cut a 13.4cm square from it. I collaged on torn pieces of old papers - a dictionary, sheet music and a book page. I used transaprent gesso so I could add brushos over it.

I added the brushos to the centre of this piece and the whole of the other pieces from my A4 sheet. I used olive green, then added yellow for a warmer feel.

I cut a 14cm matt from one of the larger pieces. I die cut an ivy branch from the centre of this, being frugal, and another from one of the other pieces, as well as a holly die cut.

I tore a piece of the book page, and inked the edges, then a narrower strip from brusho card. The sentiment is stamped onto the blank edge of an old book page, and the edges inked.

The cream holly I originally die cut from a book page, but they didn't look quite right, so I used a scrap of plain card instead and inked in cream with brown edges.

I stamped some holly onto the collaged piece, and edged this and the matt with brown, before assembling. I added a bit of thread around the sentiment strip. I finished with pearls in the centre of the holly - I wanted tiny wooden buttons but didn't have any!

 

I'm very happy with how this has come out, it has a lovely earthy feel.

 

 

 

 

 

To play along this week, visit us at the 52CCT blog. You have a week, until Friday 12th November, to join in.

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!