Happy Christmas Card

Good Morning all!

Today I have a monochromatic Christmas card to share!

All images on this card are from Artistic Outpost's Snowy Woods.  I love all the vintage images in this collection!
Here, I've stamped all my images with Ranger Adirondack Raisin ink.  To the larger St Nick, I've added a touch of color to his face with Copic markers and completely colored his coat.   He is cut out and mounted over the smaller background St. Nick  with toys.  I originally tried a collage with these two images.  It seemed too flat so I cut it apart and made it work this way! 
I added the greeting on one of the tags from Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three.  I stamped and embossed the verse first, then cut it out.  That way I could get the verse centered perfectly by aligning it in the opening on the die template. A little tape to hold it place for cutting and perfect alignment!  I trimmed off the top decorative element because it seemed to distract from my St Nick.  I added Distress inks, of course!  Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and a touch of the Raisin ink. 
The twigs were cut with a die template from Spellbinders Foliage.  I added Distress ink and Distress Antique Linen Stickles.  Distress Stickles isn't as shiny as regular Stickles and works well with my vintage images.  Little dots of dimensional cream paint are on each branch tip, Viva Paper Pen. 
The dark red mat is stamped with the fern branch from Snowy Woods, again with Raisin ink.  It adds some texture interest. 
Both St Nick and the greeting are popped up with foam tape.

Have a creative weekend!
-judy

Supplies:

Artistic Outpost Snowy Woods

Spellbinders Fancy Tags Three

Spellbinders Foliage

Ranger Adirondack Raisin ink

Distress Antique Linen, Vintage Photo inks

Distress Antique Linen Stickles

Copic markers: E00, C1, R59

Viva Cream Paper Pen

Cream, white, dark red cardstock

Foam tape

Santa Ornament

This is an ornament I put together with a wonderful vintage Santa image from Artistic Outpost's Snowy Woods. He's one of my favorite Santa stamps!

It's really quite easy to make! I used a frame from Ranger, a 2"x2" Memory Frame and Memory Glass, as the base. No soldering needed, the frame simply closes with a tiny metal tab. Easy!

I stamped the Santa with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cs. I used the 2"x2" glass as a guide to cut it to size. I colored him with Copic markers E00, R20, R59, R89, B21, B23, B18, B69, E31, E35.  I used R46,B14,Y35 for the toys in his bag.  I added a little distressing around the edges with Vintage Photo and Black Soot inks and a touch of Antique Linen over all.

I stamped another Santa, also from Snowy Woods, for the back. He's colored with Copic markers, too, and distressed a bit.

I placed the images back to back with glass on each side, slipped them into the frame and closed the tab. So easy! Actually, there was another step before that. This frame was silver.....the only color I had.  I wanted a more antique color so I applied Copic E39 over it.  Instant color change!

I made the hanger with striped ribbon slipped through the ring on top of the frame. I added a tiny safety pin with a jingle bell over the ring for the front side and tied the plaid bow around the ring. On the back side, I added another jingle bell tied on with a cord. It adds interest to the back side of the bow.

This ornament could easily be made as a tag to add to a package as part of the gift.  Just add a place for "to" and "from" on the back side or maybe just the date. Be sure to do that before assembling it!  Or use the ornament as the main image on front of a card.  The recipient can  keep the ornament for years to come. 

Have a creative day!
-judy

Joyeux Noel

Today, I have a Christmas gift tag to share. 

Come December, I always appreciate all the Christmas tags and cards I've made throughout the year.  I never seem to have time to make tags then.

I started with a #8 manilla tag.  The surface of tags is a little different than most card stock.  I really like using Distress inks on them.  I scored it 7/8" from the hole end and just under 2 3/8" from the opposite end.  I did all the stamping before I fastened the top edge down.

I used just a portion of the stamp for the Santa stamped with Espresso ink.  The stamp has words in the lower right area which I masked because they wouldn't all fit on the tag.  Instead, I stamped "joyeux noel" with Adirondack Raisin and clear embossed it.  



The Santa is colored with Copics (see photo for colors).  I added Distress Antique Linen and Vintage Photo over it.

I stamped branches on the back and inside with Pesto ink.  I also used Anitique Linen and Vintage Photo. 

I wrote "to" and "from" with a black pen.  "Happy Christmas" is stamped with Raisin and clear embossed.

This photo shows the outside of the tag as it looks open.

 I used red line tape to fasten the top fold leaving the edge free.  The bottom of the tag (Santa) tucks under the flap like a matchbook.  I repunched the hole through the back so I could add my ribbon ties.

The manilla tag seemed so appropriate for the vintage feel of the Snowy Woods stamps but his tag could easily be created with other Christmas stamps! 

This was a fun little project!


 I think I'm back on track for creating......thank goodness!  It's so hard to get projects done when nothing seems to work!

Happy to have you visit!  I hope you enjoyed my Noel tag!

-judy

Joyeux Noel

I posted this card to Artistic Outpost's blog yesterday. I had stamped & colored this image from Artistic Outpost's Snowy Woods set several months ago. It's one of the first images that I colored with my Copic markers. I thought it would be a quick start to a card..........well, it wasn't really quick because I took photos along the way so I could show you some of my steps.

I first created the torn paper that I used as a background mat.

Here's the how-to:

I started with some lightweight Kraft packing paper......already wrinkled. Great way to recycle! I wadded it into a ball to get more wrinkles and then smoothed it out again.

Next, I rubbed Distress Peeled Paint over the wrinkles using the pad directly on the paper. I dried the ink with my heat tool and wadded it into a ball again.

Then, I added Vintage Photo.........


More ink..........Brushed Corduroy this time.....


...........again with Aged Mahogany......

Next, I sprayed on color.......... I mixed 1 dropper of Brushed Corduroy & 1/2 dropper of Scattered Straw in a Mini Mister with water.

I dried the first layer with my heat tool and then resprayed it for more color. The paper is wonderfully soft & flexible now, tears great. I have enough for several projects.

Here's some of the steps for the card:

For the card front mat, I stamped the branch with Scattered Straw around the edges of some light tan Bazzil (sorry, I don't know the name). I also added Vintage Photo & Brushed Corduroy to the edges.

I stamped these little parts all at once. I cut out the package & Dec 25 and colored them with Antique Linen, Vintage Photo & Aged Mahogany inks. I drew a red marker line along the string on the package before I distressed it.

I used the smallest Spellbinders Labels Four for the Joyeux Noel. I embossed it & added Antique Linen ink before removing it from the die. I added a narrow dark red edge with permanent marker by keeping the marker tip on scrap paper, touching the label edge as I ran it along the edge.

I used white paper for the card itself.........white is a good base to show true ink colors. Besides, I didn't have a color that seemed right. I have lots of white paper.

I stamped the branch with Vintage Photo first. Then I added branches stamped with Peeled Paint, some once stamped off.

I sprayed all of the inside with the same Distress mixture: Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy & water and dried it with my heat tool. I also ironed it to dry & flatten it. The verse is stamped with Ranger Archival ink.......permanent & not water reactive.

I swiped the back of the card over my glass stamping surface that had inks all over it. It sort of got that way by accident so I helped it a little. Then I added Vintage Photo with Cut n Dry foam.

The old fashioned Santa is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black. I colored the Santa & trees with Copic markers: B02, E31, E35, R37, R59, G85, W1. I rubbed Anitque Linen over the whole thing leaving the area around the verse lighter. I added a little Vintage Photo to the edges.

The stamped image is layered on dark red & very dark green Bazzill papers with edges frayed. I tore a piece of my colored Kraft paper to layer underneath. I added 2 pieces of jute, wrapped & glued to the back of card front mat. I tied a knot at the intersection & added a red floss knot. The package, Dec 25 & Joyeux Noel are all mounted on 2 layers of foam tape (the foam is at the end on the label so it fits over the jute).

I added several little branches cut from 2 different punches: McGill & Martha Stewart.

Hope you enjoyed this glimpse of

Creating...my style!

Feel free to email or leave a comment if you have any questions.........

Snowy Roads

......a winter drive in Minnesota?

Stamps: Artistic Outpost Snowy Woods, Home

Ink: Distress Embossing, StazOn Dove Grey

Embossing powders: White Puff, Polysparkle

Background:Distress China Blue

Copic Markers: 0,C3,W1,Bg10,BG15, Bg 34

I started with a background that I had misted with Distress China Blue....I'm guessing as I pulled this out of my scrap bag.
I stamped the branches from Artistic Outpost Snowy Woods & trees from Home set with Distress Embossing ink, heat embossed with White Puffs from Ranger. I stamped over them with Distress Embossing ink & then used Polysparkle embossing powder (Ranger). The effect is like sparkling frost....a little hard to see in the photo.
I cut 2 pieces of white cardstock for the snow. I used the same technique with White Puffs & Polysparkle using snowflakes from the Snowy Woods set.
The truck was stamped with SazOn Dove Grey on glossy white cardstock. I colored it with Copic Markers & added a bit of Distress Antique Linen ink over the entire image.
I used the verse cut off the truck for "roads" & "take me home". I colored the edges & background with Copic markers. I also stamped "snowy" (from Snowy Woods set) with Dove Grey & cut it out. I used a tiny strip of cream cardstock for the sign post & foam to mount the signs.
The truck & foreground snow are also mounted with foam tape.
Snow is so pretty on a card
........unlike actually driving in it. Ah, if only we could have soft, fluffy white snow without winds & cold.....
Snowy wishes for a cozy day!
-judy