Believe in the Magic of Christmas

Hello my fellow crafters!  I've created this card for the Kennedy Grace Creations December Blog.  As December winds to a close, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas with family and/or friends.  Although Christmas is now past, I made this card last month before I realized my post would be after Christmas!

To me however, Christmas is not just one day, but the beginning of forever (if you believe).  And as many crafters do, they make Christmas cards all year 'round.  So this is especially for those of you who never get tired of seeing or making Christmas cards.

You may recognize the wreath element in my card and the background technique I used on this card.  I used an Antique Linen  Distress Oxide pad and dragged it down the length of the cardstock several times to create a wooden door or panel look.  Then, I wanted to show how you can totally change the look of your card/wreath simply by changing up your ink colors (see my November Mood Board card for comparison, above).

To make the wreath element, I used the exact same technique as the prior card:  I traced a circle lightly the size I wanted the wreath, then used the 2 small leafy branches from the Kennedy Grace Creations stamp You Inspire Me.  I used 3 green colors from Hero Arts, (Green Hills, Field Greens and Moss).  I stamped 1 color at a time, spacing the branches out and changing the angle of the branches with each new color as I stamped around the circle.  This allowed me to get a fairly even dispersion of the colors, without any distracting clumping up of the colors.  I then used a Hero Arts Red (mini cube from My Monthly Hero Kit, unlabeled) for the berries, that I stamped using the 3 small dots on the You Inspire Me stamp set.  I used the berries to fill in any gaps that may have been present.

Next, I die cut the center of the wreath out.  At first I was going to make a shaker card, but not finding the exact color shaker elements I was looking for, I expanded my search to other things.  I looked into my stash of older Christmas stamps and I found this very cute wood block stamp from Stampendous! called Manger Kisses.  It fit perfectly in the window!  I quickly Copic colored the image, added a little clear Wink of Stella and set it aside.  Next I placed a mask over my wreath and stamped the sentiment from Sunny Studio's Holiday Style three times for an ombre-type look, once above and twice below in Ranger Distress Oxide Inks/DOIs (Worn Lipstick, Candied apple, and Fired Brick), then used some clear embossing powder over them.  I stamped the ink layered bow from the same Sunny Studio stamp set in Frayed Burlap DOI, Delicata Gold and Walnut Stain DOI and clear embossed that as well, then foam mounted it to the wreath.  I repeated the stamping of the small leafy branches and a berry next to the sentiments on the bottom.  

To finish assembling my card, I adhered some clear acetate to the back side of the wreath panel, then cut some Fun Foam slightly smaller than my panel.  I traced the circle from inside my wreath onto the Fun Foam then die cut out a circle slightly larger.  I cut down my card panel to 4 inches in width, then adhered the Fun Foam to the back side of my card panel.  Next I used some #110 NSW cardstock for a top folding A2 cardbase.  I placed some narrow strips of red glitter paper from Stampin' Up! along the edges, then adhered the little manger scene onto it so it was centered in the wreath window.  Before I adhered my card panel to the base, I sponged on some Brushed Burlap Distress Oxide ink along the inside of the wreath, giving it a "wooden edge" or distressed feel.  Then I adhered my card panel onto the prepared cardbase.

As I often do, I add one final detail that in my mind finally completes my card.  You can't really see them in the picture, but in real life you see them quite easily and they just add a wonderful element.  They are small gold adhesive dots (in varying sizes) from Starform.  The dots were small details from a larger adhesive image, but they were perfect for my project!  I scattered them about the wreath and declared my card done.

I hope you enjoyed my card and the versatility of the You Inspire Me stamp set.  Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2018!

Jill



To see more of my card creations, please visit me on Instagram as jktaylor911 for the largest collection of my cards and Facebook as Jill Taylor.

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