The school half term break is over and so I feel I can legitimately start thinking about Christmas. I've begun the Christmas card assembly line. The secret to Christmas card making is to keep it simple (relatively) and be able to work in batches. It can also mean compromising a bit, maybe skipping the embossing you would normally do and cross your fingers the ink doesn't run! The idea is not to create fine art but to end up with something that looks striking from across the room amid other cards.
I've been looking forward to using the CraftEmotions Christmas tree, branches set. This is a great set for layered images.If you don't celebrate Christmas it's still a lovely set for winter scenes and birthday cards.
First I stamped the step 1 small trees in iced spruce Distress Oxide ink on a square of watercolour paper. Masking off the bottom of the trees helps to avoid them looking like they are floating in mid air. I did this 28 times! The only thing that limited me was the number of appropriately sized card blanks at the end.
Next I over stamped the step two trees in faded jeans...28 times.
Then I repeated with the step 1 large tree in seedless preserves...
...before overstamping the step 2 image in wilted violet. The advantage of the Distress Oxides is that they can be layered and not get muddied together.
A light spritz with water helped to blend the colours and soften the edges. I blotted with kitchen paper to stop it spreading too far.
I smooshed broken china onto a craft mat and used a wet paint brush to watercolour the sky, then added colour beneath the trees.
To finish off when the paper was completely dry I stamped the step 3 images in silver ink and added a border with a Kaisercraft border stamp.
To finish off I mounted it on a white card blank and stamped a sentiment with my trusty stamping tool. Once I had positioned the stamp and tested it on a square of scrap paper I knew that every single sentiment would be perfectly positioned. How did I ever manage without a stamping tool?!
Making cards this way really cuts down on the time you use to swap over equipment. I also had everything lined up in order on the bench ready to go.
And there we are. Design one completed. I usually try and make four or five designs of Christmas cards just so that it's not too boring. I have 3 more designs coming up before Christmas on The Craft Barn blog and another to share here using the lovely Giogiocraft bauble stencil...but that's for another day.
Thank you for visiting my blog. xxx
