Keeping Promises to Myself-Early Christmas Card

Hello friends and visitors! Back in the beginning of the year (yesterday, it seems!), I made a little crafty promise to myself, several in fact. One of my resolutions was to make at least one Christmas card per month, so I would not feel so stressed during the season. Another promise I made to myself was to use one of the crafty goodies my good friend, Autumn (SewPaperPaint) sent me in my gigantic Christmas package. I paired these two resolutions up and met them for February with this Christmas card.

The star of the show here, the lovely ornament die cuts were a few that Autumn sent me. They were cut from patterned card, but I wanted them a little simpler, so I gave them a coat of black gesso, and
heat embossed with Stampendous and Tim Holtz stamps in gold.

I did some stamping using my new Peeled Paint Distress Oxide and in Frayed Burlap Distress ink. The image is a Tim Holtz Blueprint stamp and I had to mask off the lines and words before inking the stamp. This perhaps was the most time consuming part of this card.

You might be able to see the little flecks of sparkle on the background paper. After I inked, I spritzed a little Perfect Pearls mist in Heirloom Gold on my mat, and pressed the inked card into it here and there. It's quite shimmery in real life, but as you know, so hard to photograph. The flecks of gold on the ornaments is another story. I did use my antic static thingy before stamping, but the powder still melts into the gesso. Perhaps next time I need to paint over or otherwise seal the gesso before heat embossing.

I had some of these glittered pine boughs in my stash, and I was happy to include them at no time cost to me. They had been previously glittered with Tim's Glitter Dust.

This is seam binding ribbon I had in my stash, and I attempted to dye it with the oxide and ink, but the colors wouldn't 'stick' well, nor did the ribbon want to hold a shape, so I gave that a good drenching of the Perfect Pearls mist which helped to tie this all together. A quick dash into the fibers drawer and I found this gold twine to make a little bow for the ornament. Finished in less than 30 minutes! I think I do better without a plan! If I had more time, I think I would change one thing: put an extra coat of gesso on. Oh, well, two things--I would also seal the gesso before heat embossing.

Challenges entered:
Country View Challenges-February 2017-Time Challenge 30 Minutes or Under
Paper Artsy 2017 Topic #2 -Masks
So inspired by Ingrid's use of gold glitter and in her title Let Your Imagination Fly. Masking can't be seen on my card, but I masked my stamp before inking.
Scrapy Land Challenge #60 Add Texture I used a Sizzix Bigz die and die cuts given to me:).
Creative Artist Challenge #23-Anything Mixed Media Goes
Penny Black and More-February-Use Your Favorite Stamp This old Christmas greeting is my favorite way to say Merry Christmas! It has gotten so much use and is so old, it's falling apart.
A Vintage Journey-February Challenge-Words That Are Special What could be more special than "Merry Christmas"?
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge-Anything Goes
DL Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #199-"Green"
Your Next Stamp Sketch and Color Challenge #58

I chose cream, green and brown and used a lot of black (neutral).
Crafty Cardmakers #182-Add Some Texture
Stamplorations February Challenge-Stamps and Retro

Thank you for your visit today! I love reading your comments, so if you have time to leave one, I am very grateful!

Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily