Christmas cards

It's difficult to see in these photos  But I have used an embossing folder which embosses a pretty frame into the card. the frame is not very big  at all which has meant I ve had to create some mini images to fit within the frame. If you need a closer look click on the image and you should get a larger picture pop up.

These tiny images are very quick to create so you can make a few in next to no time.

I cut my card to  1   3/4   x  2   3/4  inches. I blended a little yellow ink across the middle and then a little melon mambo and real red along to top. Then I took a piece of waste rubber cut roughly to look like a mountain ridge.   ( The waste rubber was saved from sets that you had to cut the rubber stamp images out before mounting them onto the wood blocks) 

Then I stamped a pale lilac mountain range  across the middle. I stamped a few lilac conifers along the base of the mountains, then stamped some  moss green conifers in front of  the lilac trees. I stamped the tiny deer in black then finished off the image by adding some foliage in the foreground and brushed in a few snow drifts to ground the trees and the deer.

I only used a black memento ink pad, a yellow and moss green pad to create this one.

Streak of yellow across the middle using a blending brush. 

The grey  in the sky and the drifts were created  with a blending brush used for black ink 

 

 

 I'm not a fan of lots of  bulky die cut foliage on cards, so I stamped three types of foliage  in three different greens for the base then just added some embossed die cut berries and a couple of  fussy cut holly  leaves with berries, Then finished off with a small bow.

Wintery cards

This post is a continuation of my previous post. I didn't have photos available to add to the previous post when I wrote it. 

 I just wanted to show that you can change things up to create different cards.  You have many options to change things up to give a different look, while keeping the same theme and style.  If you give packs of cards as gifts,  it's nice if they look like a set.

   

On the  7 x 5 inch card above I used a small rabbit, so there was space for a few more trees in the background. I used the Fern branch stamp set for the overhanging branches. I worked on a smaller panel so the rabbit wouldn't get lost. By adhering the panel to a larger card base meant I could add a larger sentiment.

On the next inch 6x 4 card, I changed the rabbit for deer and the overhanging branches are from the willow set. I didn't bother with the clouds over the moon on this one.

On this one I added pink in the sky instead of yellow. I added another row of trees on the left.

For the next one, I used a  skeleton tree branch and added the crow looking down on the rabbit.

I added a touch of peach to the sky on this one.

I didn't add any over hanging branches on this 5 x 7 card for a more desolate look for the wolf.

There is just a hint of pink in the sky on both the wolf cards. I did add a touch of blue to the horizon on these.

As you can see, these cards are all very similar but all quite different. Just but changing a colour, using a different stamp or two or the size. 

You could also change the orientation.

Wintery cards

A little late for Christmas I know, but these were last minute Christmas cards and I didn't get time to do a post on them before Christmas.  The good news is I have given you plenty of time to recreate cards like this for next Christmas.

I used one of the  new foxes from Lavinia stamps, along with the fern branch set and a tiny little twig stamp also from Lavinia stamps to create this card. The tiny conifer I think I bought from Inkylicious stamps a long time ago, but I think the set is still available.

 I punched out a circle from the sticky edge of a post it note to mask off the moon area and blended in the sky using yellow and grey ink on this one.

Once the sky was inked, I added a couple of clouds by placing a piece of torn paper over the moon and brushing a little ink over the edge of the paper. to make the moon look spherical I brushed a little grey ink around the edges, leaving the centre white.

I added snow drifts using the same technique I used for the clouds going over the moon. You may notice I am using different  backgrounds for this post as I forgot to take photos of each step when working on the yellow and grey version. You may also notice I don't always work in the same order.

Now the  blending work has been completed it's time to do the stamping. Sometimes I'll start by stamping the background trees and sometimes I'll start with the foreground.

 It's a good idea to map out where your focal point is going to be before stamping anything. It's easy to get carried away stamping the trees and then find your animals head gets lost in the background.

You could stamp your animal first if  you are unsure about where to place your trees and foliage.

I stamped the fox in Versafine Clare ink, it's a lovely intense black ink so no need to keep stamping over it to get good coverage. I think, I stamped it twice.  Using  my Stamparatus. (that's a stamping platform for those that don't know, and  it's a tool I wouldn't be without now.) 

When the animal is dry you'll need to ground it. This is easily done by just brushing a little ink underneath the animal. I did this last which is why it doesn't show in the photos. You'll have to go to the last photo to see the light shading beneath the animals. 

 

I used  Posca pens in  brown and yellow and just dotted clusters of three dots on the twiggy bits then added one dot of yellow in the centre of each cluster. Occasionally I did a single dot.

The over hanging branches  are  Lavinia stamps branches. Fern branch on the card above and the header picture.

The branch below is another Lavinia stamp as is the crow and  Pippin the  rabbit.

 I stamped the branches in grey

 Then used a white Posca pen and drew snow on top of each of the branches.

Using the same pen I held it over the work and basically beat the barrel of the pen with the handle of a big paint brush to get it to splatter white paint over the whole piece of work to give the impression of snow.

Snowman punch card

A little late for Christmas cards I know. But if I don't post them now they will never be posted.

For some strange reason these snowmen cards didn't photograph too well, and for that I apologize. They are better in reality than in these pictures. I used the new snowman builder punch, blending brushes, Blueberry bushel ink pad and "stamp and write" markers in,  pumpkin pie and choc chip to colour the carrot and branches.  Plus a black marker pen to colour the hat. The trees are a small branch stamp, from Lavinia stamps.

To create the background I used a tiny amount of  Blueberry bushel ink on a blending brush and lightly inked the top section of the card. I punched a circle from the sticky edge of a post it note and used it to mask off  the soon to be moon area.  I kept apply more ink to the sky and around the post it circle to intensify the sky, and create the moon.

With torn paper I created the snowdrifts at the base by brushing ink over the torn edge of the paper onto the card stock. I lightly spritzed the inked card with water and blotted it off after a few seconds, to give a more mottled effect to the sky, almost as if it was snowing.

 I stamped a couple of trees and then punched out the snowman. I coloured his hat, arms and nose, added his eyes and buttons with the markers, then lightly inked the edges to give him some dimension.  I assembled all the parts before adhering him to the front of the card.

Once I had completed the blue scene I just had to try it in a pinky colour. This time I chose to try a pigment ink. So using Versafine Clare, "Monarch",  I repeated the above steps, omitting the water  spritzing as this doesn't work on Versafine Clare inks. Instead of gluing the snowman directly to the panel,  I used very thin foam pads to adhere the snowman to the front of the panel

I brushed some faint snowdrifts and sky onto the base cards before adding the images as I felt the whiteness of the card was a little too stark.

Wintery card

I used the Arctic bears stamp set for this card, it's a new set and is available from Stampin'up.
Stamping this card took a little working out. I stamped the large bear first, then masked her off and stamped the small bear, overlapping the masked off bear. 

Then I masked off the small bear and stamped the icy edge three times along the side of the card. With a pen I drew in the horizon.

I added a touch of cool grey ink to the bears and coloured the sea with Copic markers.

I heat embossed some silver snowflakes along the top edge and down the opposite side to the ice flow.

I mounted the scene on marina mist card  and then on to a piece of night of navy card stock , which I had heat embossed more snowflakes in silver.  The snowflakes are from the serene snowflakes set.

This image is from the same stamp set as the Santa in the card below.  I have found my catalogue and can tell you it's called  "Don't stop Believin" .   I thought this was quite a humorous image. 
Another very  quick and simple  card.

Vintage Santa Christmas Card.

I think this was one of the first stamps I ever bought. it must be 20 years old now.  It got packed away a few months after I bought it because I was never happy with the products available to colour it at that time. Fortunately colouring products have come a long way  since then and this image looks great coloured with Copic markers.

 I added a lacey die cut for some extra interest and I think it gives this card a Victorian feel.

Sponged background Cards

Today I have a CASE'd  for you. I found this card on the internet last week. I cannot  remember for the life of me who created the original, but I liked it enough to copy and share it. If I remember rightly the lady had posted a photo tutorial on making this card. I just wish I could remember her name.

I decided to create a smaller version with just one sponged  square on a  4x4  base card.

 The Dragon fly stamp is from the awesomely artistic stamp set by S.U.

This card was inspired by Sarah Hardy a very talented and lovely S.U. demonstrator. Sarah's video tutorial can be found on Youtube. Sarah used green ink and the Dandelion Wishes stamp set to create her beautiful card.  I have no idea where I got the stamp for this card, I found it in my box of Lavinia stamps. but I know it's not a Lavinia stamp.  I don't even  remember buying it. I am guessing I bought it   at a craft show.  I will be checking out Sarah's video again and having a go at Casing her version.  While you are on Youtube you really ought to view Sarah's other videos, she has some truly awesome video tutorials on there.  Just be sure to add stampin' up after her name or you will get  the film "The haunting of Sarah Hardy"  come up instead of card making tutorials.

Christmas cards

 For Christmas this year I created lots of  Christmas cards using Lili of the Valley digital stamps .  I love the fact you can resize the images to fit the size of the card you want. The card above is a huge 8x8 inch card  and was made for my Brother in law Dave.

For the children at school, I made  small personalized cards  for each of them.  These cards were  4x4 inch.  Here are just 3 of them. This demonstrates how useful resizing the images is.

I have to say one of my boys was dead impressed with his personalized card and was fascinated that his name was on the card and in shiny silver foil.

Natures Beauty.

These cards I made using the Nature's Beauty stamp set from Stampin' Up.

I coloured the images with Copic markers. I used a white Posca paint pen to add the snowflakes.

The background of the card above was coloured using cool grey Copics C1, C2 and C3

I used warm greys for the rabbit.W1 W3 and W5

On the card below I used cool lilacs for the background. BV02 prune and  BV000 iridescent mauve. 

I went to the Farnborough create it show in February a bought an emboss and cut folder. I have never used these type of folders before and I have to say I had a few issues with this one. It didn't like the weight of card I usually use to make cards so I had to use a lighter weight card for this to cut properly.  Then I mounted the  cut and embossed frame onto a  heavier weight base card, sandwiching my image in between.

 I can't remember which set the seasonal greetings came from.

Snow globe cards

I love the snow globe stamp and die set  bundle in this year's autumn winter catalogue.

Here is my first card made with the stamps and dies. 

 I had issues trying to find something  small enough to put in the globe that wasn't glitter or sequins.

Then I came across these tiny polystyrene balls in my local craft store. They are still a little bit bigger than I wanted,  but the main issue was static. They all stuck to the inside of the globe and didn't move freely.  My solution was to sprinkle a tiny amount of talcum powder onto a sheet of kitchen roll and rub the powder into the kitchen roll. I then rolled the balls over the powdered kitchen roll.. This seemed to work well. the balls move freely and no longer stick to the acetate dome.

A word of caution, don't use too much powder as it does cling to the balls which then transfers to the inside of the dome giving it a foggy look,  which is not really the effect you want.  Another option that might work would be to rub a tumble drier cloth over the balls to reduce the static. I don't have a tumble drier so I don't buy the cloths, so I couldn't try this.

The base of the snow globe I cut out twice. once in gold,  and once in white. I stuck the white die cut on top of the gold,  slightly off set,  leaving the tiniest amount of gold showing. Personally I think I should have used silver rather than gold as the colours and tone of this card  are cool , so adding the warmth of the gold looks wrong to me.

I used the embossing folder "Gently Falling" to emboss the top layer of the card,  after I had die cut  the  aperture for the dome.
Hopefully my next snow globe card will contain water and glitter …..If I can get the card assembled without spilling water on the adhesive around the dome. So far I haven't been too successful with that type of card.
 Which  I have to say surprised me, as I have done cards with water in before and have had no problem with spillage and leaks.

Jolly Holly Christmas cards.

I ummed and erred about buying this Jolly holly stamp set and die bundle, but I am so glad I did. I have had lots of fun playing with it this week.

I stamped off about 10 Santa s coloured them all in and then die cut them. 

Then I started working on some backgrounds.

 I stamped a few parcels on a piece of whisper white card stock and coloured them in.

Using foam pads I stuck Santa over the top of the parcels.

Actually  I stamped quite a few parcels on lots of pieces of white card and coloured them all in .

I varied the amount and the position of the of parcels for a slightly different look.

Once all the parcels were coloured I assembled the cards, some I mounted straight onto coloured card bases without a mount. 

Others I added a coloured mount then adhered the layers on to a white base card.


Then I began to wonder if the tree from the  Winter woods  stamp set would work with this Santa.

 Well... I think it does,    but  I also think this card looks incomplete. 

     I think it  needs a couple parcels at the base of the tree to complete it.

I will be adding some die cut parcels to this one at a later date.

As the card above looked incomplete to me, the next step was to stamp the tree and the parcels on the background.

I prefer this look but again I am not completely happy  with it.  
Perhaps it's because I have an even number of parcels on this one. Everyone knows odd numbers always looks better.

The next thing to try was more trees.
Again there should have only been three trees on this one, but my first tree was badly placed.

 I don't think this one turned out too bad despite my poor planning.



As you can see from the photo below I have had quite  a bit of use out of this  bundle already. 

The last card I made was one at the  top of this post. 
It's the one with the least amount of materials and  least amount of work. Surprisingly,... I  really this one,  I like it's  simplicity.

Seasonal chums

 This card was made for the latest member of the family for his first Christmas.
It's a peekaboo card and it was inspired by a Dawn Griffiths Tutorial I watched on Youtube. I did change a couple of things to put put my own twist on this card.
I used Stampin' Up s Seasonal chums tag set and dies to create this card.

I don't like putting panel on the inside of cards unless they are large cards, but Hubby messed up the inside of this card by writing Happy Birthday in it instead of Happy Christmas. So I had to put a panel over his mistake to cover it as I didn't have time to remake it.