Up on the Rooftop

Ok, you are probably thinking.... What?????? Christmas already?????  What is she thinking??

Steph Ackerman here to let you know that Christmas is only  76 days away.  I can hardly believe it myself!!!

 

But I will confess, this project did not start out with a Christmas theme.  Actually, it started because I wanted to use The Crafter's Workshop Brick Stencil.

 

I placed the stencil on a canvas panel and added  Art Anthology's Brick Stone Effects paint.  When I removed the stencil, I found I had created a chimney.  So my project morphed from there.

 

I spritzed Art Anthology's Colorations in Lark around the canvas to give a hint of the night sky.

 

Using The Crafter's Workshop Mini North Star stencil with Art Anthology's Sorbet Dazzle paint, I added stars to the canvas.  When dry, I spritzed the canvas again with Art Anthology's Glorious Colorations for a dazzling night sky look.

 

I painted green cardstock with Art Anthology's Velvet Paint in Basil.   Once dry (either wait till it's dry or heat set it), die cut with Spellbinders Holly Wreath die twice. 

 

 

 

Assemble 2 layers of the die cut and embossed wreaths, adding a red bow to the top.  Add to the chimney with foam adhesives for dimension.  Using Art Anthology Dimensional Crystals in Red Corvette, create the berries on the wreath.

  

 

Die cut letters using Cricut Expression from red and black cardstock (or use stickers).  Die cut Santa and his reindeer using the Stamp Doctor die with red and brown cardstock, adding them to the canvas with foam adhesives for dimension.  Using the Inkssentials Blending Tool with  Ranger's Vintage Photo Distress Ink, I added just a touch of color around the edges of the canvas.

So, have I put you in the Christmas mood  yet?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

 

Santa's coming to town !

Hello ! It's Sue here and today I'm sharing my last Christmas card for this season ! Phew, it was a sprint to the finish line but I've managed it, everything's wrapped, written and posted so now's the time to kick back and find the Port bottle ! ...lol......

For the background of this card I used the TCW Snowflake stencil with Wendy Vecchi's white Embossing Paste. When it was dry I then gave it a coat of Glue 'n' Seal as I'm about to add lots of acrylic paint and I didn't want the card to disintegrate !

I added the acrylic paint using a baby wipe so I could wipe it back if the colour was too intense. When I was happy with it I brushed a little Treasure Gold over the textured areas to highlight them. I cut a lamp post using the Tim Holtz die and covered it with embossing ink and then Sticky EP. I then dabbed acrylic paint on top, it sucks the paint in and also gives a great textured finish.

The 'glass' in the lamp post was made using the technique from Creative Chemistry 102, acetate, matt medium and crackle paint. The main image is a Crafty Individuals stamp and the sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Mini Holidays 5 set.  I've made the Poinsettia using the Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia die and cut it from Crinoline. The foliage is cut using the Festive Foliage strip die.

I just wanted to show you a close up of the textured background, love how the Treasure Gold has made the snowflakes stand out.

So that's me for this year ! I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and wish you all the best for 2014 !

Sue
x

Snowy Christmas

Hello, it's Sue C here today and I've taken the opportunity to make a Christmas card as I am so far behind I need all the help I can get ! I was very lucky to win one of the latest Crafty Individuals stamps recently, so thought I would share my first make with it.

I stamped the image first of all onto some white card stock using Cornflower Archival ink (love this colour!) I seem to be in a 'blue' phase at the moment so the one or two Christmas cards I've made are all following this theme !

I then worked on the background using the TCW Snowflake stencil. I first of all used Iced Spruce Distress Ink then used some white acrylic paint with the same stencil. The photo doesn't show it up that well, but the white really stands out IRL. I then spritzed it with some White Linen Dylusions to try and create a frosty look.

I used the Cameo Frame die and cut the shape from white cardstock. I then stamped the swirl from the Tim Holtz Reindeer Flight set using Cornflower Blue Archival ink. I then embossed the card using a tartan embossing folder and rubbed Stormy Sky Distress Ink around the edge. To give it the frosty look I then dabbed some white acrylic paint over it (which you'll see in a later photo).

I wanted to add a flower but didn't want to use card, so I die cut the Poinsettia from Crinoline and then used the same swirl stamp with Cornflower Blue Archival and stamped over the fabric.

 

I've got most of my elements ready now but then decided I wanted some ribbon. To make sure it was colour co-ordinated I held some seam binding onto the Archival ink pad with a piece of Cut 'n' Dry foam and pulled the seam binding towards me. The ink colours the ribbon beautifully, you have to do it 3 or 4 times to get an even colour and I heat set it too, to make sure it didn't rub off on my card. 

For the centre of my Poinsettia I use a Maya Road Bingo piece which I've painted white then dabbed with embossing ink, sprinkled with Sticky Embossing Powder and then topped with Rock Candy Distress Glitter (I am in love with this stuff!) .

 

Here's the finished card ! The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Simple Sayings set and is stamped with Cornflower Blue Archival ink. 

The metal snowflake started life as a bronze colour, then I painted it with white acrylic paint and gave it the same treatment as the bingo piece. The photo doesn't show off how the glitter really does relfect the light. 

I hope you've enjoyed my project today, look forward to seeing you again soon ! 

Sue

x

Santa's House

Hello ! It's Sue C here and today I'm sharing a Christmas project. I should really be getting to grips with Christmas cards but I am so very easily distracted and this was no exception !

I spotted this little wooden plaque with a metal hook in my stash and thought it would be great to hang a Christmas stocking on.

 

I decided that it needed a little something extra so I cut a roof shape and 2 additional side panels from grey board and a scalloped piece for the bottom edge from mount board (which I actually didn't use in the end!). 

I then used Wendy Vecchi's Yikes Stripes stencil with her white embossing paste on the roof and 2 side panels.

 

Then I started to paint, I wanted to keep the colours to a traditional Christmas theme and as I was seeing the panels as shutters I chose to use shades of brown acrylic paint over an initial coat of cream. 

I then started to add colour to the main wooden board, sticking to the same colour theme.

I then used Red Geranium Archival ink and the Wendy Vecchi Fancy Florals background stamp.

 

For the centre of the wooden panel I found a frame in my stash and painted it with acrylic paint in dark brown and when it was dry I swiped a lighter colour over the top to distress it. I also brushed some metallic wax around the edges too. 

The below is the finished piece and  I have to apologise for the poor photograph. I got my other half to knock a hook into the wall so I could hang it up to photograph and then realised the light was behind me so there was a great big shadow! The santa inside the frame is from the Tim Holtz Mini Holidays set.

The poinsettias have been made from Grunge Paper that I've covered with cream card that's been stamped using Potting Soil Archival ink. I've painted a jingle bell with acrylic paint and brushed metallic wax over it too.

The letters have been cut from mount board using the  Tim Holtz Word Play die. I've then covered them with gold embossing powder and while it was still hot I spinkled on some UTEE grains too. The holly and berries are die cut using the Tim Holtz Festive Foliage strip die. The berries have had some Rock Candy Distress Glitter added to them.

For the numbers  I cut four of each from cardboard using the Mini 25 Tim Holtz die. I glued the numbers together and used Festive Berries Distress Ink to paint them red. Then I dabbed embossing ink on to them, used some Sticky embossing powder and then sprinkled on some Rock Candy Distress Glitter.

The right hand panel has been decorated with die cuts using the Festive Foliage strip die and the little calendar is from the Tim Holtz Mini Holidays stamp set.

To finish, I added a couple of filigree metal corners and brushed some more metallic wax around the edges of all the panels.

I hope you've enjoyed today's project !

Sue
x

Hi, all! Today I have another Christmas card for you. I’m building my stash up nicely and now I need to find the time to get them ready to go out!

The gorgeous paper I’m using is Aspen Frost by Basic Grey. I’m using a simple layout to show off these beautiful papers. I’m also using some Tim Holtz - Idea-ology - Tinsel Twine – Winter and Tim Holtz - Idea-ology - Crinkle Ribbon that I dyed with my Tim Holtz Distress Ink Reinker - Barn Door. The sentiment is popped up on foam tape. All edges were sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I did some stitching and tied on a button with silver cord.


And that’s it! Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~Supplies~
Stamps: LJD Stitched Stockings (MFT)
Paper: Kraft card stock, Wild Cherry card stock (MFT); Aspen Frost (Basic Grey)
Ink: Wild Cherry ink (MFT); Barn Door Distress Re-inker, Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories/tools: Vagabond; Die-namics Designer Labels 3 STAX. Jellybean Green button (MFT); Dew Drops, sewing machine, foam tape. Tim Holtz Tinsel Twine -  Winter, silver cord

Peace on Earth

Hello everyone!  I’m ushering in December here on the eP blog with this great wintery Christmas card today using this Aspen Trees 6x6 template from The Crafter’s Workshop.

 

I mixed up some Ranger Distress Inks to create this card today using some Inkssentials Mini-Mister spray bottles.  In one bottle I mixed a dropper full of Tumbled Glass ink and water, and in another mister I added a dropper full of Chipped Sapphire ink and water.  Then I taped the template down onto white cardstock and did some misting, using the darker Sapphire at the bottom and the lighter Tumbled Glass at the stop.  After everything dried I dotted on some glue from a Sakura Quickie Glue pen and sprinkled on some ultrafine glitter for snow.  Then I added an all-over iridescent mist from Perfect Pearls spray.  The sentiment comes from a Flourishes stamp set, and the little cardinal was cut out with my Silhouette using this digital file.

That’s all for today…. happy stamping!

Heart of Christmas Joy

It's getting closer...... I stopped counting how many days are left before Christmas and decided to stop and remember what Christmas is all about.  I decided to continue with this thought in my Christmas card making!

You may not know this, but I am "Die Cut" handicapped - self confessed!  I love all the elegant projects with extensive, multiple die cuts yet I for some reason always have issues or hiccups which turns a project into a major ordeal.  Anyway, when I first saw the Seasonal Sentiments die set from Wplus9, I knew that even with my "handicap", I was going to get it.  And I am so glad I did.

The sentiment is from Wplus9 Design Studio - Pretty Patches: Christmas, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I used the Fiskar Stamp Press which allowed me to space the two sentiments apart to leave room for the die cut.  To add dimension to the die cuts, I cut the Scotch Foam Mounting Tape square into smaller pieces.  Found some snow glitter which was added to the heart die cut and left it at that.  

Simple, clean, no fuss card which truly was a joy to create.

Now, to mass create these and get them out into the mail before Christmas...... :-)

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

Holiday Hugs

Hello eP fans, it’s my turn today to post here on the eclectic Paperie blog and I have a sweet Christmas card to share with you!

I pulled out some new Lily Bee Designs Christmas Cheer 6x6 paper for my card, and paired it with this Holiday Hugs Snowman stamp set from My Favorite Things.  I stamped my image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers from the eP store.  I embellished my card with a few buttons, some Maraschino Red twine, and some silver Kaisercraft rhinestones.

And here’s a little close-up of my uber glittery snowflake…

Sending YOU holiday hugs, and many thanks for stopping by today!