Revisiting the past

The latest challenge for August at CAS Christmas challenge site is "Pines". I was yearning for my long gone Lovely As A Tree stamp set from SU! that would be perfect for this challenge.

One of my favourite Christmas cards I made with Lovely as a Tree in 2012 involved a brayer, and salt which you can see HERE. 

So I thought to myself how can I make that card in 2022.

I decided instead of brayering I would ink blend using blending brushes with my distress oxides. I tried the salt trick and didn't like it so went for splattering with Perfect Pearls instead for the snow in the sky.

So I used a square of Lavinia Multifarious Smooth and Supreme cardstock to ink blend on. I made a mask with a large post-it note to be my bank of snow. I then ink blended with Tumbled Glass DO, then stamped the "pine tree" from Whimsical Trees with Uncharted Mariner DO. 

I then moved my mask down and changed the angles and lightly blended the edge using a smaller blending brush and Tumbled Glass. When I was happy with my scene I ink blended some of the Uncharted Mariner around the top edges. I then mixed up my Perfect Pearls with a few drops of water and using a small paint brush lightly splattered the panel. 

Then for the real blast from the past and WATCH OUT PETE Dazzling Diamonds glitter has returned for the snow banks. He used to hate going to work and finding his clothes had DD sparkling on them.

I then cut out a bigger square of Pretty Peacock using my layering square framelits. I matted up and put on a Pool Party base. 

My sentiment comes from Poinsettia Petals and I have stamped in Pretty Peacock ink, clear embossed it and then heat set it.

Supply List (all Stamping Up! unless stated otherwise):
Stamps: Whimsical Trees, Poinsettia Petals
Ink: Tumbled Glass DO (RNG), Uncharted Mariner DO (RNG), Pretty Peacock
Paper: Pretty Peacock, Pool Party, (Lavinia) Multifarious Smooth and Supreme White

Other: Layering square framelits, Perfect Pearls (RNG), Zig 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, clear EP, post-it notes, blending brushes (TE)

Well that was fun revisiting the past, the last card was made 10 years ago and has stood the test of time and deserved to be "remade in 2022".

✿ Karen ✿

More Christmas in July

And more playing with my Gerda Steiner Designs stamp set Peeking Friends.

I've used the Santa from the set for CAS Christmas (Santa) and Less is More (traditional colours) Card Challenges.

I've Copic coloured up my image on Xpress-It blending card stock and used the following combos to colour him up.

Face: V12, E00/93

Red: R32/35/46

Mittens: 100/C8/10

Whiskers: C00/0/1/2

I have also covered the mittens with Nuvo Crystal Glaze so they look real shiny and I have used a Versamarker pen and then WOW clear hologram sparkle on the hat's fur and pom pom.  See the picture below, hopefully you can see a bit of shine and sparkle.

I have also used my Gina K Masters Layout 2 for the lovely card panels in the middle. I love them I could not cut out that straight or that precise and am very happy with that purchase.

I have stamped the sentiment from an old retired SU! stamp set called Oh, Goodie using the new in-colour Sweet Sorbet.

Again I'm really liking my normal tag stamp images on a card! Here's a link to when I mass produced a pile of tags using the elf from the set. 

Happy to report that my card was ShowCASed at Less is More

✿ Karen ✿

My first Christmas Cards for 2022

I am so happy to report that CAS Christmas challenge site has started their Christmas Card challenge site as it's always good to get started early as the big day sure can sneak up on you fast as you approach the end of the year.

The challenge is to use a wreath and be CAS I probably have failed at both but rapt I have my first Christmas cards created and in fact I managed to make THREE  in the design process. 

My final Christmas card design in 2021 used SU! DSP Whimsy and Wonder which used non-traditional colours and I loved it as it was so cheery. So the colours I started off were Mint Macaron and Blushing Bride with the smallest Poinsettia leaf but I thought that looked to busy so swapped to the ??pine branch. I then decided I didn't like that colour combo so changed to Misty Moonlight and Polished Pink. Now I have made all 3 cards I like them all but I still like the brighter colours best.

Supply List (all SU! apart from the sentiment stamp from Lawn Fawn and Gina K Designs wreath builder):
Stamps: Poinsettia Petals, Spotlight on Christmas, Tiny Tag Sayings (Lawn Fawn)
Ink: Misty Moonlight and Polished Pink OR Mint Macaron and Blushing Bride

Dies: Tasteful Labels (white stitched inner circle), Stitched Shaped Framelits

Paper: Whisper White, Misty Moonlight and Polished Pink OR Mint Macaron and Blushing Bride

Other: 4" Wreath Builder Template (GKD), Basic Rhinestones, dimensionals

Well I very happy to see I was/am going to be challenged to start making Christmas cards; not so happy I don't actually own anything that looks like a wreath stamp or die. I fear I am not clean and simple enough but I'm really happy with my 3 cards and it's great to start on the Christmas cards.

So merry wishes to you all!

✿ Karen ✿