Hi everyone. Today is the start of our brand new Christmas Challenge at Happy Little Stampers. Not only are we launching a new challenge, but we have a new design team to start things off. Check out the challenge HERE to see the wonderful cards by the rest of the Design Team (Bozena, Carol D, Carol S, Gail, Ingrid, Kylie, LesLee, Mary, Susan). And then come and join in the fun! :)
The rules are simple. Make a Christmas card that uses the key word (this month is Tree) and upload to the challenge blog. Any style of card is welcome!
I started with some die-cuts I had cut over a year ago when my friend Susan (Cardmaker's Garret) came for a crafty play day. I love this set of tree dies that she has. At that time I was on a kick to use up some of the many packages of Christmas papers that I had bought. I cut the trees from the ugliest patterned paper you can imagine ... then they sat, and sat, and sat. I decided I need to do something with them. So I turned them over to the plain white backing, sprayed with two shades of green watercolour sprays, let them dry and then added some snow texture. LOVE how they turned out. And the ugly paper is on the backside. :) No one will ever know. :)
I used Martha Stewart Sparkle Texture Effect for my snow. I wanted to have a soft, dreamy looking snowy sky for the background, so I sponged two shades of distress ink (Tumbled Glass and Peacock Feathers) on to vellum, leaving a little white space at the bottom. Then I splattered with diluted white acrylic paint. I finished the card by adding a frame with the vellum taped to the inside, stamped a simple sentiment and attached the tree on top; and then popped everything up on my card base. Easy and so fun!! :)
I hope you'll come play along with our new challenge. Never too early to start making Christmas cards. :)
Stamps: Christmas Greetings (SU!)
Ink: Distress Inks: Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: Spray mists (Lime Green, Green) made with liquid watercolour concentrate (Dick Blick), 5 part tree die (Elizabeth Craft Design dies), Large Holiday Shapes die - star (Simon Says), Sparkle Texture Effect (Martha Stewart), paint brush for splattering, white acrylic paint
Challenges:
Absolutely GORGEOUS card to debut the new Christmas Challenge at HLS! I love your soft sky background and all the beautiful sparkle you added to the snow and tree! Great save on those papers, too ;)
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to check out the new challenge...You're starting with an amazing team, for sure!
Love that GORGEOUS background you have created for that perfect tree and the vellum gives it such a realistic dreamy quality . . . simply serene! In a word . . . INSPIRATIONAL!! Have a lovely weekend! Hazel xx
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous Loll, love the tree and your wonderful background. Carol x
ReplyDeleteYour die cut tree is gorgeous with all the sparkle and pretty background window. TFS Loll and Congratulations to HLS for your new challenge and design team :-) You and Kylie must feel so proud.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Your soft vellum background in your window is SO dreamy! TFS your details too :-)
ReplyDeletebeautiful card Loll - will have to get my creating hat on and make a card!
ReplyDeleteLovely Christmas card Loll love your tree
ReplyDeleteAnne
Loll, What a great rescue from prior work! Love the tree and your treatment of the background. Hazel, above, said it best.
ReplyDelete\stunning card Loll, I shall have to see if I can find time to join in, may not be for a couple of weeks though lol!
ReplyDeleteLove & Hugs
Jacquie J xxx
http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/
Great save, my friend! Love the colors and "snow" on this die cut tree! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteSuch fun reading through your super save on this beautiful tree. It really is so soft & dreamy & loving that snow. Wonderful effect to have it on the outer frame with the lovely snowy sky behind the 'window'. Absolutely fabulous! TFS & Hugs
ReplyDeleteWell, Loll, that makes me feel Very Merry! Love it.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a way to recreate these die cut trees Loll! I love how you turned them over and sprayed them to make them into this beautiful Christmas tree. You vellum background is just beautiful and i love how you framed it out. You are such a clever girl! Hugs, Brenda
ReplyDeleteSimply gorgeous card, Loll! The tree is awesome and that window on the back is great addition to the background.
ReplyDeleteUgly paper into a thing of beauty :) Trust you, Loll! Love those trees and the vellum background is simply stunning!
ReplyDeleteThis tree is brilliant. LOVE that the ugly side is on the back lol lol. You turned it into a real beauty, my friend! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with this card, Loll! What a great save of the die cut when you decided you didn't like the dp! And the texture effect snow and the vellum sky are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card Loll, love how soft the background looks on the vellum, great way to use up the ugly dp too, Cathy x
ReplyDeleteWow, Loll you certainly achieved the most beautiful soft and dreamy effect with this gorgeous card! I LOVE what you do with backgrounds and sprays and look forward to learning a lot from you!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Carol x
What a beautiful duckling-into-a-swan card, Loll ... soft, delicate and gorgeous! Anita :)
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful Loll! I love the dimension you created with your frame, and the snow on the tree is such a brilliant addition! So frosty and festive! hugs :)
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely Loll. Especially like the way you've achieved your sky background with the sponging and splattering! So effective.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Karen xxx
Hi LOLL! I love it. You used your stash! Cleaned up your place! Created something so beautiful and breathtaking with it. I have been an admirer of your work for a while now and am honored to be working with you on this wonderful ENDEAVOR sincerely one of your biggest fans! :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE your tree - that snow almost looks real! You got me excited, because I just got that texture paste, and now I'm inspired to use it!
ReplyDeleteTotally gorgeous card Loll and a beautiful winter scene! xx
ReplyDeleteWow! The three-dimensionality on the card that I want to go deeper into the forest, which starts from the Christmas tree ... A real winter atmosphere, glow snow and frost, peace and quiet ... it's all evokes in the observer your card. Wonderful card.
ReplyDeletehugs,
BozenA
This is so pretty Loll and I love the snow on the trees and the softly coloured framed background with the spattered snow and the colours blend beautifully. x
ReplyDeleteThe soft green with soft blue is such a pretty combo, love all the dimension and details on this tree :)
ReplyDeleteI love this little winter scene ..... that tree looks gorgeous!! xx
ReplyDeleteStunning! Now that we're in to July, I'll have to start on some Christmas projects.
ReplyDeleteSuch a gorgeous card. Love the soft colors you used.
ReplyDeleteWell it's no surprise that I absolutely love your card! I don't think there's anything you make that I don't...lol! Great sponged background and the dimension in your tree is fabulous! I love all the little details - and the vellum is a great addition - so soft. Excited to be designing alongside you Loll! We're going to have so much fun. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to use that crappy paper we buy. What possesses us sometimes!! Your card is lovely!! Great die cut!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card, love the tree and what a great way to use ugly papers!! love the die cut. Gail xx
ReplyDelete