Vintage Christmas - Bells & Boughs

Feels a little weird posting a Christmas card in May, but I've joined the Christmas Card Challenge on SCS again this year.  I've committed to four cards a month, and so far I've done OK.  I missed out last month, but I hope to get caught up before too long.  If all my ideas came together as quickly as this one, it would be a cinch!

As an added bonus, this card qualifies for the Jingle Belles Friday challenge of "Embossing Around the Christmas Tree."  A great challenge, I need to participate in more often!

It all started when I was reading a thread about using a challenging color.  I decided to focus on Bravo Burgundy because it's a color I used to love, but wasn't using much anymore.  The reason I enjoyed making this card so much is the laid back approach I took with the fussy cutting and coloring.

I started with Naturals Ivory cardstock which is so porous gives such a nice distressed, vintage look.  I stamped my four (remember I made four of these at one time) Bells & Boughs images with the Bravo Burgundy ink.  I went back with my Aqua Painter and quickly (and without regards for the lines) added Pink Pirouette to the flowers.  I concentrated on the centers and purposely left areas unpainted.  I then came in with River Rock and again splashed color on the greenery and flower edges.  The water in the Aqua Painter in combination with the porous Naturals Ivory paper smudges the images slightly, adding to that vintage look.  My next step before I cut them out was to crumple the paper.  I really gave it a workout!  It was in the shape of a ball when I was finished.  I smoothed it out a little and started my cutting, not being too fussy.  I think each one took me between 30 and 60 seconds.  Then, I attached the images to the First Edition Specialty Designer Series paper only using the antique brads, keeping that texture in tact!

Until I get around to posting my other Christmas cards, you can see all the cards I've completed on my SCS gallery HERE.