Christmas Cards Inspired by Anneke De Clerck

Welcome and a very happy Sunday afternoon to you all. Today I would like to share a couple of Christmas cards I've made that were inspired by the PaperArtsy blog.

For the backgrounds I followed the technique used by Anneke De Clerck which you can read if you click on the link Here.

For this one I used Memory Box Alpha Worn Out stencil with PaperArtsy Chalk acrylics in Spanish Mulberry, Snowflake and Beach Hut.

Before attaching the background to the card I rubbed the edges with a little Treasure Gold in Sapphire and Pewter.

For the coloured star I stamped the large star from Jofy 07 in versa-mark and then white embossed onto card I'd previously coloured with Pan Pastels in Phthalo Blue shade, Magenta Extra Dark and Ultra Marine Blue. This was then cut out and given a coat of Distress Stickles Clear Rock Candy.

The white star was stamped in Adirondack in denim and clear embossed. This too was given a coat of clear rock candy after being cut out which in various places has made the ink bleed---- I must confess I rather like the distress look it gives.

The sentiment was also stamped in denim onto white card and clear embossed and then mounted onto some remains of the pan pastels coloured card. The ring was made from some coloured jewellery wire with a silver bell threaded at the top and then some blue ribbon attached.

Card no 2, for this I used Tim Holtz Measured stencil with PaperArtsy Chalk acrylics in Autumn Fire, Pumpkin Soup, Toad Hall and Guacamole.

I then added some Antique Linen Distress ink with a blending tool as I didn't like the stark white contrast of the card. This had Treasure Gold in Renaissance added to the edges.

The baubles were stamped using the same Jofy set as before, the white ones stamped in Tea dye distress ink and clear embossed and the coloured ones were from the Pan pastels coloured card in the Magenta extra dark, Ultra Marine Blue and Hansa Yellow Shade and white embossed.

Both lots were given a coat of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Metallic Glaze. Small holes were then punched in the tops and cream coloured bakers twine attached. Gold coloured wire was used for the ring on this one. Merry Christmas was stamped and then gold embossed on white card.

I was very pleased with the end results and will use this technique again for backgrounds.

Plus as a bonus that's 2 christmas cards made!!!

Well the nights are drawing in now so that means for me it's more crafting time as I won't be gardening and watering. Thanks as always for stopping by today and I love to read your comments as I know how busy everyone is. Take care and I hope you all have a good week. Jane x

'Star of Wonder' Christmas Card

Hello and welcome again, today I would like to share a Christmas card that I have just made using a set of Crafty Individuals stamps, some PaperArtsy chalk acrylic paints, mica powders and a few other odds and ends.

Items Used

Crafty Individuals stamp set CI 270 and CI 171

White card scraps for stamping

Kraft Card

Green glitter card

PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk acrylic paint in Mermaid, Inky Pool, Pewter, Autumn Fire, Pumpkin Soup, Pansy, Blush and Metallic Glaze.

Black archival ink

Distress ink in Vintage Photo

Clear embossing powder

Stampendous Aged Ivory embossing enamel

Copper and perfect pearls mica powder

Versa-mark ink

Brilliance Pearlescent Olive ink

To begin with I cut a square of kraft card and randomly stamped the harlequin design in 2nd generation vintage photo. Next I distressed the edges with a pair of scissors and made a couple of small nicks to give an aged appearance. I then added some vintage photo ink to darken the raw edges and rolled the corners.

The palm trees and building were then stamped in the vintage photo and then brushed with the copper mica powder. Then the bottom part of the card was lightly brushed with the vintage photo to give an impression of sand.

The 3 kings were then stamped in black and embossed with clear powder.

Next I coloured some oddments of white card with the paints ready to stamp the 3 kings onto and cut their cloaks out.

Starting at the top the colours used were;

Pansy, blush and pewter.

Autumn fire, pumpkin soup and the metallic glaze.

Mermaid, inky pool and pewter.

The cloaks only were cut out and then stuck onto the stamped figures on the card.

The star was stamped onto white card with versa-mark ink and embossed with the aged ivory enamel and then cut out and stuck above the stable.

Star of wonder was then stamped in black onto the kraft card.

The card blank was decorated with the words being stamped in black and the star in pearlescent olive, then the edges lightly inked in vintage photo and then lightly brushed with the perfect pearls mica  to add a subtle sheen.

The kraft card was mounted onto a piece of green glitter card that had been dulled by adding some vintage photo ink, then attached to the card base.

I really like the sheen and sparkle on the 3 kings robes and cutting them out and layering them onto the stamped figures adds real dimension.

This set of stamps is a new acquisition and I have enjoyed my first 'play' with them, if you have a few spare minutes pop over to Crafty Individuals blog and see what their DT have been up to

http://craftyindividualsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/carrying-on-with-halloween-and.html

I would like to enter this card for Crafty Individuals monthly challenge titled 'Halloween Madness and Christmas Frenzy'.

and

Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers challenge titled 'Stars'

Thank-you as always for stopping by and I hope you have a good week, looks like autumn has arrived so it's a good time to get crafting!

Take care, Jane x

Painting on Fusible Webbing !

Good Morning all, just a quickie this morning as we are off to a wedding today. The clouds are beginning to clear and there are large chunks of blue sky appearing so fingers crossed for a lovely day.
Todays entry was inspired by Penny Nuttall over on PaperArtsy's Blog, she made a material book using hessian and fusible webbing, material and paint---- had to have a play! to view her brilliant book click on the link .
 http://blog.paperartsy.co.uk/2014/08/welcome-back-gd-penny-nuttall-project-1.html

To begin with I made a paper pattern of the heart shape by folding a piece of paper in half and drawing the half shape I was happy with before cutting out. This was used as my template for the natural coloured calico material. Once this was cut I then frayed some of the edges.

I then painted the iron-on fusible webbing with PaperArtsy Chalk Acrylics in Zesty Zing, Nougat and Guacamole. My first attempt I was not happy with, I don't think I added enough water but the second go was much more successful. The paper backing was then removed and using baking parchment to prevent it sticking to the iron it was ironed onto the calico heart. This then had a little Treasure Gold in Olive Bronze rubbed over the paint.

Next I stamped the butterfly from Tops and Tails 6 onto some tissue paper in Archival black. This was then cut out leaving a small margin around the edges and a coat of PA Fresco Metallic Glaze was applied.

The swirly tree in the stamp set was used to stamp around the edges of the heart. As I save various seed heads from the garden I decided to use a couple of poppy heads on this project, so part of the seed head was cut away with a craft knife to allow it to sit on the card and the raised edges were also rubbed with the olive bronze wax.

The flowers that you can see at the edges of the photo I decided not to use on this card in the end.

Using some packaging cardboard I then cut out some trellis using the Tim Holtz die and painted this in the same 3 colours as the fusible webbing. This too had touches of the olive bronze wax.

I always keep some of the cut-outs from the trellis so I decided to add one that was from some linen textured card.

The card was then assembled, the blank has a very small dark pink fleck in it so I used a piece of torn Tim Holtz Kraft-Core no 5 and lightly sanded some parts. Before sticking this down I added some tissue tape above and below where the kraft-core would go. The trellis was cut in 2 as it needed to be just a bit longer!

The seed heads were tied with a length of hemp string. As I was not sure who this card would be for I made a flower from brown wrapping paper using the tattered florals die of TH and stamped the swirly tree onto the petals in Brilliance Pearlescent Olive ink. Then passed it through the Cuttlebug text embossing folder. I had some spare card the same as the card blank and cut out a small tag so I can then add a message or name at a later date.

I would like to enter this card for PaperArtsy's Weekly Challenge and 

Sunday Stampers Challenge by Hels Sheridan titled "Natural"

Well I must away, nails to varnish, hair to wash etc, hope you all have a great weekend, thanks for stopping by and take care Jane x