Love, Light, and Peace

The theme for Merry Monday Christmas Challenge this week has been "Christmas Lights & Glitter." I do have one stamp of modern Christmas lights, and managed to ruin a card I made using that. (Don't ask.) That kind of put a damper on my mojo, so I went looking in my digital stamps. I came across this one from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. Since candles were the original Christmas lights (and are still used today), I decided to go with this.

I chose Sketch #157 from Operation Write Home for my design:

I sized my image, and a greeting from Doodle Pantry, in Photoshop, then printed them on a 3x3.5" piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I colored the candle with my Inktense pencils, using a damp brush to pick up the color from the pencils and apply it to the paper. I find I generally have better results doing it this way, rather than coloring with the pencils and then going over that with a wet brush. After I'd finished painting, I set that aside to dry.

I chose 2 patterned papers from my scrap stash, and cut them to size. I matted the gold with burgundy, then added a green & another burgundy layer. I matted the background with more burgundy, then adhered the gold/burgundy/green layer to that.

Once my image had dried, I cut a 1/8" strip of burgundy cardstock, and glued that across the panel, between the image & greeting. I then matted that panel with more burgundy. Because of the thickness of the layer underneath the focal panel, I added a strip of foam tape to the top & bottom edges of my focal panel, so it would stay level. I applied adhesive with my ATG gun to the sides & middle, then adhered the panel in place. Finally, I mounted the card front to a white A2 card base.

For some added sparkle, I used Christmas Red Stickles on the holly berries, and a thin coat of Star Dust Stickes over the leaves & candle flame. I also added Glossy Accents to the candle holder. And this card is finished!

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

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge: "Anything Goes"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"