Season’s Greetings

Hi everyone, I’m back today with another Christmas card, still working my way through my  new stash from Port Sunlight. This card was broadly inspired by a recent video tutorial by Heidi the Yorkshire Crafter. It’s my first attempt at using masking fluid as I’ve had some for ages, but have always felt a bit nervous about using it as I know some crafters report they don’t get on with it! 

I already had a die cut 6” x 4” stitched rectangle of white card to hand, so I decided to use that for my base layer. I stamped the Inkylicious tree in Morning Mist VFC then masked it with masking fluid and allowed to dry. I masked the edges of the rectangle with low tack tape and used a circle mask for the moon and torn paper for the snow line, then created the sky by blending a mix of Distress Oxide and Memento inks. I removed the snow line mask and blended ink lightly around the bottom edges to define the rectangle, then used the edge of the paper to create a couple more snowdrifts and wispy clouds across the moon. I stamped the stag using Nocturne VFC, and extended the grass at the base of the tree in grey. I outlined the moon and snowdrifts using a Sakura Stardust pen, then removed the mask from the trees and coloured the trunks with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, which I also added to the moon and snow. I added some white Posca spatters for snow, then removed the low tack tape round the borders. When dry I matted onto a dark blue border and 7” x 5” card blank, and added a stamped sentiment.

I did have a bit of an issue with the masking fluid - although I let it dry, when I started to blend my inks the blending brush rubbed a bit of the fluid off so I later had to touch up with a white pen! I guess I need more practice! 

Stamps: Inkylicious Elegant Birch Trees, Island Trees (small grass extension), Stag/Deer Set 1; Uniko Christmas Sentiments;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Tumbled Glass, Blueprint Sketch); Memento (Paris Dusk, Nautical Blue); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);  Posca pen (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Rectangle die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

ABC Christmas - V is for Vertical

As You Like It - Favourite Critter (and why)

(I don’t have a real favourite, but I do like a stag on Christmas cards)

C.R.A.F.T. #767 - Christmas

Christmas Crafts All Year Round. (November) - Run, Rudolph, Run

Crafter’s Cafe #324 - Anything Goes with option Christmas (3rd entry)

Die Cut Divas (November) - Critters

Jingle Belles - Dashing Through the Snow (2nd entry)

Little Red Wagon #831 - Candle in the Wind (light source)

Moving Along With the Times #183 - Winter Wonderland

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #722/723 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

I’m trying to really get a move on with my Christmas cards now, so I reckon they will be the main focus of my blog posts over the next few weeks.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,