Two Christmas Cards

Christmas Card Throwdown's current challenge theme is "Sewing." I created 2 cards for this challenge.

For the design of my first card, I used the sketch from Catch the Bug's Stella Says Sketch Challenge #812. I rotated the sketch 90 degrees. I used Bugaboo Stamps' "Mistletoe Bell" image (discontinued), with a vellum overlay for my greeting. I first sized the image in Photoshop, and printed it onto a panel of Strathmore Vellum Bristol paper. I colored it with my Prismacolor colored pencils. I used Gamsol to blend the first layer of color, then went in with more layers, finally using my pencils to burnish the color.

View of image panel under vellum overlay

 

I found 2 patterned papers in my scrap stash for the background. To provide visual separation between the image panel & the bell patterned paper especially, I matted the image panel with a 1/16" dark green mat. I used a strip of that same cardstock along the left edge of my card.

I heat embossed the greeting with Ranger Gold Super Fine Detail embossing powder onto a piece of Essentials by Ellen 40 lb. vellum that I'd cut to the same size as the image panel. I lined it up with the image panel, & poked holes along the top edge every 1/8". I use gold thread to stitch the overlay to the image panel. I adhered that to my card, and that finished card #1.

I used Sketch #SC727 from Splitcoaststampers.com as the design for my second card. I first stamped the lamp image from Inky Antics "Decorated for Christmas" set onto a scrap of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I die cut that with a "Large Stitched Oval" die from Lawn Fawn. I used watercolors to paint the image. I wanted to provide a matting effect, but didn't want to cut a larger oval. So I first inked around the perimeter with Speckled Egg Distress ink. That wasn't quite the right color, though, so I went over it with Faded Jeans Distress ink to darken & warm it up just a bit.

For the stitched strip, I used my We R Memory Keepers Sew Perfect tool (discontinued). I cut my strip longer than I needed, since it's basically impossible to know where the tool will pierce the holes. I lined up the Sew Perfect ruler along my cardstock, & ran the tool along that. Because the cardstock is thick, I did have to go back with my paper piercer to poke the holes fully through. After I trimmed the strip to 5-1/2" long, I followed the stitching diagram for that Sew Perfect roller head, with red & pale grey embroidery floss. I actually stitched the grey first, and realized my "error" when I went to stitch the red. I should have stitched the red first, since I wanted the grey floss on top. Thankfully, I was able to weave the red floss under the grey as I stitched, so no big deal. 😊

For the card front panel, I used one of the patterned papers from the "Believe" 6x6" pad by Authentique. I used strong double-sided tape to adhere my stitched strip to my card. I glued the oval in place over that. Then I adhered my card front to a white A2-size card base.

I stamped the greeting, from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Christmas Joy" set (discontinued), onto a scrap of the same cardstock I'd used for my stitched strip. I used an Essentials by Ellen "Stitching Lines" die to add some faux cross-stitching to the right end of the greeting strip. I cut the other end in a "v," and adhered the banner to my card.

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

Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Anything Goes" (first card only)

613 Avenue Create: "Anything Goes" (playing the twist on the first card only)

Die Cut Divas: "Christmas in July" (second card only)

Season's Greetings

I am very excited to be the guest designer at Christmas Card Throwdown for their July sketch challenge! Feel free to play along, and follow the sketch below. You can rotate it, flip it, or follow it exactly.

I decided to use the Poppystamps "Blooming Poinsettia" die set for the circle element in the sketch. I die cut the pieces from Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper. I ran them through my machine again with an embossing mat, to make sure the veins in the bracts (petals) & leaves were as pronounced as possible. Since I didn't want to color my flower just red & green, I did a search on Pinterest for pink & white poinsettias. I found this image, and decided to go with that color scheme. I chose a few of my Tombow water-based markers to color my pieces. I did some blending on the leaves, but left the colors pretty much unblended for the bracts, following the reference photo I'd chosen.

Because I wanted the bracts & leaves to have some lift, I decided to glue them only at the center parts of the flower & one end of the leaves. So that none of the white on the back of each piece would show, I did a rough coloring, emulating the front of each bract & leaf.

I chose a patterned paper from the "Rejoice" 6x6" pad from Creative Imaginations (long discontinued) for my background. I cut it to 3-3/4x5", added it to a narrow dark green mat, and adhered it to a beige cardstock panel that I'd mounted to my white A2-size card base. I added a banner of pale green cardstock to my panel to go behind the flower. Then I glued my flower & leaves to the lower right corner, letting one petal & leaf extend beyond the patterned paper layer for added interest.

I stamped my greeting, from Hero Arts "Color Layering Partridge" (discontinued), with Versamark ink onto a scrap of Essentials by Ellen 40 lb. vellum. After I heat embossed it with Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, I cut it into a banner. I applied small dots of liquid glue to the back, behind the words, and adhered it over my poinsettia, lined up with the green banner I'd already glued down. I love how this card came out! I encourage you to join in the fun at Christmas Card Throwdown's blog. Just think of how satisfied you'll be when your holiday cards are finished BEFORE the holidays! :)