Holly Card

I decided to create one more card for the "Sketch It Out" challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. This time, I used the holly stamp from the "Christmas Blueprints 4" set by Stampers Anonymous for my focal image. Again, instead of a square card like the sketch, I made mine an A2 size card.

I decided to use a technique I'd seen Jennifer McGuire demonstrate in a video maybe a year or two ago. I stamped the holly onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper 3 times: once for the whole image, once for just the berries, and a third time for a couple of leaves. I heat embossed all three images with Ranger Super Fine Detail Gold embossing powder. When that had cooled, I applied Distress inks in Candied Apple for the berries, and Pine Needles & Lucky Clover for the 2 leaf images, using the direct-to-paper technique. Then I spritzed them generously with my homemade Perfect Pearls mist, and dried them with my heat tool. Once the ink was dry, I fussy-cut the pieces.

I layered the 2 smaller leaves over the corresponding areas on the leaves I'd colored with the Pine Needles ink. I used foam tape in the middle of each leaf, and adhered the ends flat, to give a bit of interest. I popped the berries up on foam tape, and then adhered the holly to a square of blue cardstock I'd cut with a My Favorite Things "Pinking Edge Square" die.

For the layers on my card front, I used patterned papers from Authentique's "Believe," The Paper Studio's "Old World Winter," & Graphic 45's "Christmas Carol" 6x6" pads. I cut the pieces to size and adhered them in place on my card base, tucking my focal panel under the upper triangle piece. And that finished this card. I really like the pearlized shimmer that I achieved on the holly. It doesn't photograph well, but it's a nice, subtle touch in real life.