A Christmas Card...

Hey bloggers!! :)

...did the world fall off it's axis yet!?! Seriously- I've made my first Christmas card...and it's not even November yet!!! O_O I won't worry too much yet though, I'm sure this doesn't herald a most un-me-like level of Xmas preparedness and I'll still be panicking about getting my cards finished on time for the last post!! ;D

But enough of that... You've probably gathered that I'm not normally one for getting out the Xmas supplies while it's still (supposedly, at least- won't somebody tell the weather!?!) summer- I try to get organised with the gift side of things fairly early, especially the ones I'm trying to make myself, but I just don't seem to get in to the card-making bit til there's not nearly enough time left!! But I've never had blogland to inspire me before and last week I saw a couple of challenges and a fab new digi stamp from Lexi's at the same time as my new snowflake MS punches arrived at my door and the idea just came to me...then the trouble started...

So, this was the card that was causing so many headaches- literal and metaphorical- last week until I finally managed to turn it around a few days later:

The paper is from a free digi-kit from Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist- I discovered they offer a free 'Compact' version of the program to download from their site after the full version was on C&C a few weeks back and I've found it really useful already, including for making the new watermark I've been using recently, although the lack of even the most basic photo editing tools without buying the upgrade is a bit annoying but hey, it was free!! ;) - and I used DSA to size and arrange the papers and printed the jacket section of the image over the top of a shrunk down piece of the pattern, as well as larger pattern pieces for the matt and border strip.

I've used the gorgeous new digi, Christmas Shopping Phoebe, from Lexi at Fairydust Crafts :) I love this and can see it so many colourways!! She's mainly coloured with Promarkers- part one of the headache saga as I still need sooo much practise and had to reprint a few times!!- but her jacket is paper-pieced, which is the challenge at Lexi's Creations this fortnight :) I used the Tim Holtz Distressing Tool on the image and matt layer then edged both with Brilliance Pearlescent Ice Blue and Distress Broken China :) I tried to keep it all fairly light for the Cupcake Crafts Pastel Christmas Challenge but the Broken China did come out a bit darker than I intended, though it matches the darker bits of the paper!! :)

I punched a strip of the patterned paper with my new MS Snowflake Edger punch and then a strip of a gorgeous white paper with a beautiful purple pearl shimmer with my (also new!) Snowflake Double Edge Trim punch which I think I'll be using a lot!! :) I thought about inking the edges of these but, given the disasters I'd already had with this card, I didn't want to go asking for trouble and end up ripping them all to pieces!!

I did carefully ink the snowflake I trimmed from a spare section of the border- to use in place of the bow on the sketch I was working with from Sketch & Stash- and attached this with 3D foam and added a pale blue gem :)

The greeting is from the Woodware Clear set Traditional Christmas and I inked it with first the Broken China and then straight into the Brilliance Ice Blue to get the same sort of shade- and then quickly wiped the excess darker ink off my light pad!! The final touch was to add some Crystal Stickles on the scarf- to bring it forward with the jacket having been attached over the top- and on the corners of the image and the snowflake just because I wanted more sparkle!! :)

So, think I've covered this but for ease, I'm entering this card in the following challenges- with thanks for their inspiration: Lexi's Creations #19 - Paper Piecing :) ; Cupcake Crafts #101 - Pastel Christmas (I hope it's pastel enough!) :) ; and Sketch and Stash Challenge 40 - new punches and digi as mentioned above!! :)

After a pretty awful start, I'm actually pretty pleased with how this card has come out and even think I'd go so far as to say I enjoyed making it in the end- the second attempt at least!! :) I didn't manage to make two this time as all the extra bits I printed off got used up in salvaging the first attempt...but nevermind, eh- I'm still way ahead of myself with Xmas cards already!!lol No idea what I'll be making next- I'm sure I've got something planned but at the mo' I just can't remember what it is...so I guess we'll all just have to wait and see!! ;) Hope you're all okay enjoying the weekend despite the unseasonably dreary weather :) And thank you for the lovely comments on my last cards and my jewellery!! :)

hugs,