Merry Christmas

 

 

The current challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown is a sketch challenge. I created this card inspired by their sketch.

 

 

I began by die cutting Poppystamps' "Blooming Poinsettia" pieces from 140 lb. watercolor paper. I decided to color them by ink smooshing. I applied Festive Berries Distress ink to my non-stick craft mat, spritzed the ink with a bit of water, and dipped & daubed the poinsettia pieces into that. I dried them with my heat tool (no good reason--I just wanted to move along more quickly), cleaned my mat, & pressed Aged Mahogany Distress ink onto the mat. I repeated the ink smooshing process to add darker color variations to my bracts (the "petals" on a poinsettia flower). I dried them again, and then glued them together by applying glue to the flower centers and stacking the layers.

For the 2 side elements in the sketch, I chose a berry branch from the "Holiday Greens, Mini" die set by Tim Holtz. I die cut 2 branches from Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper, and colored them with my Tombow markers. Even though I knew I would use red Stickles to go on the berries, I went ahead & colored them red, to be sure no white would show through the glitter.

To border my background (yes, I have "white space" issues), I cut 2 strips from a red foil paper from an old American Crafts' "Christmas Foil" 5x7" cardstock pack. I ran them through my die cutting machine with 1 of the "Stitching Lines" dies from the Essentials by Ellen line. I adhered those to the top & bottom of my card front panel.

I used liquid glue to stick down my poinsettia & sprigs. I pulled my greeting from Hero Arts' "Vintage Christmas Post" set (discontinued) and stamped it in Delicata Ruby Red shimmer ink onto a scrap of white cardstock. I cut that into a banner, and adhered it to my card front. Finally, I mounted my finished panel to a white card base, and added Christmas Red Stickles to the berries.