Cracked Glass Christmas Card

Another of the challenges for "Hope You Can Cling To" is to take a tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers that you've never tried before, and create a card using that technique. I chose the "Cracked Glass" technique, to use on my focal panel.

I chose Operation Write Home's Sketch #228 for my card design, turning it 90 degrees clockwise:

My focal panel came from the "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" 8x8" patterned paper pad by Graphic 45 (retired). Following the instructions in the tutorial, I inked the panel with Versamark ink, and sprinkled on Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE). I melted that with my heat tool. While the panel was still hot, I dipped it in the UTEE again, and melted that. I repeated this a few more times, until the panel was coated in a thick, smooth layer. When that was completely cooled, I bent the panel, to crack the UTEE. At first, it didn't crack, and I was afraid I'd have to start all over. But then it suddenly worked! I bent it a few more times, to create more cracks, and then set it aside to work on the rest of my card.

I cut a piece of plaid paper from the same Graphic 45 pad to 5x2". I also cut a piece of "Merry Christmas" paper (source unknown--from my scrap stash) to 5.5x3", and inked it with Antique Linen Distress ink, to mute the bright white background a bit. I adhered the latter to a panel of kraft cardstock that I'd cut to standard A2 size. After matting the plaid with dark green cardstock, I adhered it in place. I double-matted my focal panel with dark & light green cardstocks, then adhered it. I threaded a red button with dark green embroidery floss that I tied in a bow, then glued that to my card front with a little Glossy Accents. Finally, I adhered the card front to a white A2 card base. This was a really neat technique to do, and I finally had a use for my years-old UTEE! :)