The Best Christmas

Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You'll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil I used from A Colorful Life Designs. Follow the link and use discount code ChrisFan10 to save 10% on your entire order! (Master Creator Bundles are excluded as they already have a 20% discount built in.)

Let’s get Started:

Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

Card Face: :5 ⅛ x 3 7/8

I had used a glimmer plate and red foil on a card face a year ago, and then put it away for “someday”. Someday finally came!

Card Face:

• I laid the card face onto my grip mat and positioned the stencil so that the wreath extended off of the left-hand side.

• I used a #2 Shader brush to apply a couple of different green inks around the wreath, varying the intensity as I went.

• I wiped off the stencil and went back in with a #0 Shader brush to apply ink in specific areas, mixing colours or simply making a single leaf darker (or even part of a leaf).

• I used a stitched rectangle die to cut the card face down to the finished size.

Other:

• I die-cut the lamp post and the fence from white cardstock.

• I looked through my binder** and found a sentiment.

** See Ready to Go Binder under Techniques in the header to learn how I use this tool.

Assembly

• I put dimensional foam on the back of the card face and centered it on the card base.

• I glued the lamp post and fence in place as shown.

• I put dimensional foam on the back of the sentiment and put it in place.

• I scattered a mixture of light and dark red gemstones around the wreath.

• I used a single larger red gem on the sentiment.

Final Thoughts:

This card appears to have been done in a different order than it was: Ink won't stick to foil so after I finished the wreath I simply wiped it off of the red stripes and suddenly the wreath appeared to be behind the foil. Fun!

I like the traditional feel of this card with the various elements that were used, and the red stripes give a nice bit of shine to the final result.

Supplies: (and links where possible)

I have listed which products I have used, and where they may be purchased. It's a huge marketplace and in most instances, there are multiple sources and many alternatives to choose from.

Stencil: Leaf Frame , A Colorful Life Designs

Dies: Your Next Stamp (no longer in business)

Waffle Flower Size 0 Shader Brushes, Simon Says Stamp

Waffle Flower Size 1 Shader Brushes, Simon Says Stamp

Waffle Flower Grip Mat, 8.5 x 6.5, Scrapbook.com

Ink: Stampin’ Up!

Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

Waffle Flower Size 1 Shader

Wafle lower Size 0 Shader

Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon

Do you have comments or thoughts to share on this design? Drop me a line in the Contact section in the header - I’d love to hear from you!

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