It's Time to Get Started On Your Christmas Cards

With the year flying on by I think it is way past time to get started on my Christmas cards. Actually I've made a few already and have hosted one Christmas Card Stamp A Stack so I have a few in store to show you over the next few weeks.

If you follow any of my on-line activities at my website, my DBWS or here you will note that I am rapidly falling for the delightful yet sometimes tricky technique of creating with a brayer. I love the serendipity of this technique - I guess that happens because I've not yet mastered it and everything is still a bit accidental, but I have to admit I quite like it that way. But I digress. I want to show you a Christmas card I just made that uses the brayer as well as sponging and masking, hand colouring and heat embossing. I love mixing techniques as this gives your cards a real individual flavour.

I've chosen the soft colours of Pretty In Pink, Basic Grey and Silver for this card as I think the stamp set (A Wish For Peace from Stampin' Up!) encourages a gentle approach.  I loved it the moment I saw it in the Idea Book and Catalogue, and made a card, taking a different approach, for my mother last year.

The snowflakes and dove are embossed with silver. The main image is embossed in black and the background is brayered in pink with grey sponging in the top corners. I've used an Aqua Painter to add colour to the dove and a white gel pen to add "snow" to the trees. I needed to do this to cover over the pink showing through on the trees!

Texture and dimension are created by using the Eyelet Border Punch and dimensionals to lift both the main image and the dove.

Here is the card I made for mum. Still in pinks (what is it I love about that colour?) but this time I've teamed it with browns. The windows are raised and have a clear sheet over them.

And here is another version using Black and Baja Breeze plus a bit of hardware.

I hope that's given you a few ideas of ways to use this beautiful stamp set. If you'd like further information on techniques or products used in these cards, or you would like to place an order for the products so you can make your own beautiful hand made cards for Christmas this year, you can contact me here. I'll have any orders posted direct to you for a  small additional postage charge. That is convenient, quick and safe.

You can also book in to attend any of my Christmas Card classes or Stamp A Stack Events. Details can be seen on my DBWS calendar.
If you live too far away and would like to order Stamp A Stack card packs and instructions, please contact me for more details.