Krafty Christmas

This was a breakfast time brainwave. Sadly that meant I'd only have an hour or so to experiment and pull this together when I got home before the deadlines hit! The key part of the brainwave was the shape. Up to this point I was despairing of how to play along with this month's Clarity challenge.

Here I am with seconds to spare! Which is my poor excuse for a fuzzy picture.

Clarity baubles stamped onto Kraft card and embossed with white detail powder. The white on its own looks lovely, but I loved the colour combination over at Tis the Season, so I've jazzed it up with a bit of colouring using Spectrum Noir pencils, in blues and greys.

CASology #165 - Circles
Tis the Season #51: Marina, Sky, Slate
Clarity #31: Shaped Cards

Priestly Anniversary

I made this in twenty minutes flat, and it probably shows.

I was singing for a special service for a friend who was celebrating 50 years of priestly ministry, and I love this stamp for Ordinations, Christenings etc. It's a Michael Powell stamp from Do Crafts.

Watercoloured using Adirondacks Pesto, Butterscotch and Terracotta, plus Distress Evergreen Bough (I think!)

Colour Me #90: Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Crushed Curry
Simon Says Wednesday: No designer paper
Simon Says Monday: Use a stamp

Fetching the Christmas Tree

I've had this Sheena Douglas stamp for ages, but haven't had it out of the packet before. Shameful I know.

I missed the Merry Monday 'watercolour' deadline, but it was watercoloured using Adirondack inks: Slate, Rust and Lettuce. Matted onto grey card to complete.

ColourQ #309: Basic Grey, Going Grey, Really Rust, Summer Starfruit
Addicted to Stamps and More #163: Holiday
Christmas Cards all year round: A country Christmas

Christmas kisses

Channelling some super CAS tendencies here. I don't think I've ever put as little on a card, but I like it.

The primary inspiration came from the latest One Layer Christmas challenge

The image and sentiment came from a Crafters Companion kit, and I coloured it with Spectrum Noir pencils.

Color Throwdown #361: Green, Yellow, Black, White
One Layer Christmas #18: Mistletoe
Crimbo Crackers #90: Someone Special

Inlaid Christmas Tree

By the skin of my teeth I think I'm going to get in in time to play around with some of this week's fabulous challenges

I was primarily inspired by the challenge over at Friday Mashup, and used a Spellbinders die I've had for years, but have rarely used. Apologies for the fuzzy picture, it's late and I always do really badly with metallic card.

 Jingle Belles/Shopping our Stash bonus: Stashing through the Snow/Use something at least a year old
The Friday Mashup 226: Inlaid die cutting (with a nod to the sketch as well)
ABC Christmas: S is for Silent
Allsorts 329: Sparkle (it's hard to see, but the tree is covered in glamour dust)

Just a note

This idea has been brewing for a few weeks, initially inspired by a sketch challenge over at Less is More, which is long closed!

However, I needed to make a very quick thank you card this morning for some friends who had invited me to lunch. So I admit this is neither my best work, nor a good photo!

My friends, like me, are keen on all things musical, so this seemed a perfect opportunity to break out my new 'Musical' stamp set from Clarity.

I stamped the instruments in Versamark on coated stock (I feel they should be whiter. Should I have left them to dry completely? Used more ink? Used less ink?), and then brayered over them, firstly with Adirondack Wild Plum, and then Adi Denim. Curled the stave to create a bit of movement, and then stamped in a quick tune, adding the time signature by hand.

Layered onto some dark blue paper, then onto a 5x7" card blank. Took a quick photo and flew out the door. Feels a technique worth repeating, when I've got the opportunity to take a bit more time!

Color Throwdown 360 - Black, Pink, Dark Blue
CASual Fridays 143 - Musical