Sunday, September 7, 2014

Cozy Christmas Kitty


I decided to enter one more card in the "Sketch" challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs' blog. Once again, I made a Christmas card for my mom to send out this year.

As per the challenge requirement, I based my design on the provided sketch:


I left out the narrow piece under the focal panel, and used 3 snowflake "ornaments" instead of the 4 banners. Otherwise, I stayed with the sketch.

I started by stamping on 2 pieces of white cardstock with the "Gingham Background" stamp. I inked up the stamp for each piece with Festive Berries Distress ink, and spritzed it twice with a fine mist of water, just to get the ink moving a bit more. Then I pressed the cardstock onto the stamp and rubbed across the back of the paper, to get a good transfer of ink. I did this twice, because the stamp was too small for my entire background. I figured it would be easier to line up and piece the stamped images, than to try and line up the rubber stamp the second time with the initial impression. Finally, I lined up the 2 pieces and adhered them to a piece of copy paper to hold them together.

I die cut a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media paper using the larger of Mama Elephant's "Femme Frames" dies. I stamped the cat (which I believe is by Recollections, though I'm not sure) and a greeting from this Hero Arts set onto that, using Ranger Archival Jet Black ink. I colored the cat with Inktense pencils, blending the colors with my Ranger detail water brush. I also added a bit of gold glitter gel pen for the jingle bell on the cat's hat, and some black & white gel pen on the pupils. I adhered the panel onto a scrap of green cardstock and cut that, leaving an 1/8" border. Finally, I rounded the corners with my 1/4" Corner Chomper.

I found a piece of holiday dot-patterned paper in my too-ample scrap stash, and cut it down for the piece behind the focal panel. I matted it on a piece of the same green cardstock, and adhered it to the gingham panel. I then sewed around the edges of the background with dark green thread, for a bit of homespun texture and some more contrast.

For the "banner" pieces, I die cut 3 snowflakes out of Mixed Media paper using one of the dies from this set. I cut 3 scalloped circles from the green cardstock, using a Lifestyle Crafts' "Nesting Scallops" die. I adhered the snowflakes to the scalloped circles, and glued them down below the patterned paper panel. Finally, I adhered my focal panel to the background, and matted the background with a green polka-dot paper, also from my scraps.

I felt the snowflake pieces needed a little "anchoring," so I poked holes at the top of each; and again at the bottom of the focal panel, right above the first holes. I threaded gold-colored embroidery floss through the holes, to act as hangers. I finished by tying bows at the tops of the snowflake circles, adding a little Ranger Multi Medium in matte to secure the knots.

To finish the card, I scored a piece of 8.5x11" cardstock in half, to make a 5.5x8.5" side-folding card. I blended Festive Berries around the front of that base, so I would have a red mat that matched the gingham background stamping, and adhered the card front panel to it. And that completed this card. A lot of work, but I think well worth it, don't you?

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Stamp It"
a2z Scrapbooking's "Autumn & Christmas"

6 comments:

  1. Oh, Andrea!! This one made is "sigh" and say "oh!" Ha! It's darling, and I love your little Christmas kitty! What beautiful coloring...looks so soft and fuzzy that I could touch! And the little hat is so sweet! What a wonderful Christmas card you've made for this sketch! I love it, and it's wonderful to have you join us again for the ODBD Shining the Light challenge, sweet friend! Hugs!

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  2. That's so cool! Thank you for taking part to our challenge at A2Z Scrapbooking!

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  3. Love your card! The kitten is so cute and your coloring is beautiful. Thanks for joining A2Z Scrapbooking challenge.

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  4. Oh, I just love this little kitty, Andrea! He looks so sweet with his Santa hat and I love the gingham background paper! Love this Hero Arts sentiment, too...it's just perfect!
    Thank you so much for playing along with us at a2z Scrapbooking! It's always fun to see your cards in the gallery!

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  5. Gorgeous card Andrea - what a cute image.
    Thanks for joining us at the Simon Says stamp Wednesday Challenge.
    Hugs,
    Caryn xxx

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  6. very cute card Andrea :-)

    Congratulations !! you are the lucky winner of the $50 voucher on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge :-)
    luv
    Lols x x x

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