Friday, May 4, 2012

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.

6 comments:

  1. Well done on the Christmas cards! So nice not to have that hanging over your head in October/November. Love the stitching and the dimension of the flowers is great :) Keep them coming!

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  2. LOVE this, Shelley! I've never been a huge fan of Bravo Burgundy, but you've made it look so gorgeous with the kraft and ivory. The stitching is beautiful, too!

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  3. oh how i ♥LOVE♥ this beautiful monochromatic card... that color is a FANTASTIC choice, i love that it (& your clever distressing & stamping) gives a sort of "country" feeling in addition to the wonderful vintage vibe!

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  4. Wow ... with the aqua painter your image almost looks like fabric ... love the touch of stitching too ... what a fabulous holiday design ... so very glad you joined us at jingle belles.

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  5. Fabulous card. Love the layout, textures and stitching. And I do love burgundy.

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  6. Great Card. I love the texture and the vintage feel to the card.
    Cindy

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