Rooted in Nature Christmas

I can't quite believe this, but despite the fact that it's not quite July and barely summer, I made my first Christmas card today.

I've been 'playing' with the Rooted in Nature" stamp set and it's perfect for the Christmas season as well.

I

The base is Real Red card stock, layered with Whisper White and then Under the Mistletoe DSP

An aperture was die cut using the Stitched Circle framelit in the upper center between the DSP and the Whisper White layer. Using this circle as a template , I drew a circle onto the Real Red card front (the art piece would be adhered to this later).  Some Window Sheet was adhered to the wrong side and foam and tape adhesive applied around the circle - as well as along the edges and areas between the circle and edges of the card layer.

On a separate piece of Whisper White I stamped 2 of the double pine trees and one of the single, using Mossy Meadow ink.  These were die cut and set aside.

I die cut a larger stitched circle using the new Sparkle glimmer paper and adhered it to the front of the Real Red card base using the pencil marked circle as a guide.  Two of the trees were adhered with tombo glue directly onto this circle (towards the top), and the 3rd smaller one with dimensionals in front of the other two.  While these were drying, I stamped 5 of the wreath-like branch images with Mossy Meadow and die cut them.

For the shaker element I used coarse sea salt which you can buy in any food store.  After removing the covering of the tape, the two layers were adhered together to form the shaker card.

Around the circle on the card front, I adhered  the wreath branches and then added  the new red rhinestones between the branches.

The sentiment is from Nature Sings

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Rooted in Nature, Nature Sings
Inks:  Mossy Meadow
Papers:  Real Red, Whisper White, Under the Mistletoe DSP, Sparkle Glimmer Paper
Accessories:  Window Sheets, Rooted in Nature Dies/framelits, rhinestones (red), Stitched circle framelits, Coase sea salt, Foam tape

Nature Sings Birthday

Nature Sings is really a Christmas stamp set, but I think it's perfect for a masculine birthday card.

The background was made by stamping with a clear block - in this case the "E" block.  Sahara Sand and Crumb Cake ink were applied directly onto an E stamping block, spritzed generously with water, and then stamping the block directly onto Watercolor paper applying pressure. I left the block in place on the water color paper for a few minutes to allow for maximum absorption into the water colour paper.

I was impatient to get the card made so I used my heating tool to dry the art piece.  I trimmed the piece to make it the size I wanted  and  sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink.

The images were stamped using Early Espresso ink, and coloured using both the Light and Dark Stampin' Blendabilities.

The art piece was matted first with Early Espresso card stock, then Sahara Sand followed by Crumb Cake.  Some linen thread was wrapped 3 times around the left end and tied into a bow after which it was added to the card front using dimensionals.

The card base is Early Espresso card stock, layered with Crumb Cake which has a 2" piece of Wood DSP adhered to it.

The sentiment is from "Remembering Your Birthday" and is matted with Early Espresso cardstock before being added to the card.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Nature Sings, Remembering Your Birthday
Inks:  Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake ( back ground), Early Espresso, Stampin' Blendabilities (Light and Dark Crumb cake), Soft Suede (sponging edges)
Papers:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Wood DSP, Watercolor Paper
Accessories:  Linen Thread, Dimensionals

Nature Sings - a Masculine Christmas card

This stamp set is in the Annual Catalogue, which has surprised a lot of clients I have talked to.  I just love the stately "elk"?? and it doesn't have to appear only on Christmas cards.
However, for today's purpose this stamp set is being used as a Christmas card.

The image in the art piece was coloured with watercolour pencils and an aqua painter.  It was die cut using the Circles Framelits and the edges sponged with Soft Suede ink.

The smaller deer pairs  and trees were stamped

n a separate piece of Whisper White card stock - the trees using Always Artichoke ink.  I decided to use only one of these deer, so after colouring it, I fussy cut it and placed it in front of the stamped trees.  This was die cut with a smaller circle, the edges sponged as well.

The card base is Soft Suede, layered with Whisper White card stock embossed with the Woodlands embossing folder.  I ran an inked sponge lightly over the raised images to bring out  the pattern a bit more.

On the left side a piece of Wood DSP was added, and the main art piece was adhered partly over this DSP and partly over the embossed layer.

In the upper left corner I added 3 pine branches die cut using the Pretty Pines thinlets and tied with some red glitter trim.

A bit of Dazzling Diamonds on the ground and the trees, and the card is done.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Nature Sings

Inks:  Black Memento, Soft Suede, Watercolour Pencils, Always Artichoke

Papers:  Soft Suede, Whisper White, Wood DSP, Garden Green

Accessories:  Woodlands Embossing Folder, Layering Circle Framelits, Layering Oval Framelits, Pretty Pines Thinlets, Red Glitter trim, Dazzling Diamonds.