Welcome! Here's what I love about playing along with Linda's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge: You see something you love on one of her tags, and it inspires you to run to your craft table and just create! I was inspired by the rustic look to her tag HERE, but in the end winded up combining the rustic with a touch of glam. Please forgive my horrible photos; it was a rainy day when I photographed these, and my lighting is really off.
My card is pretty straightforward, and not too much to go into detail about. Like Linda, I used the buck and snow flurries dies from Tim's Winter Wonderland Thinlits set, and I added the twiggy tree die cut from the Home For the Holidays set inspired by those stamped bare trees on Linda's tag. The deer and tree were cut from a shimmery black scrap.
I used the Deco Sheets to show off the flurries, like Linda. The sheets are adhesive, so I simply cut another piece of kraft card the size of my front panel, stuck the Deco Sheet on and then adhered this panel to the back of the front. No one will ever know our little secret!
I love the Tree Rings Bigz die, and I couldn't wait to use it again. Out came the drying Distress Crazing medium and Distress crayons to give it those large bark like cracks. I think I like the Crazing more now that it is almost hardened in the jar! It's no long crazing, it's CRACKING! Here's a tip if you don't want your mixed media products to dry out. Not only should you take care to wipe around the jar edge and top, but be sure to clean out the threads in your lid! Duh, I did not!
I think I need new cutting pads for my Big Kick, (Santa, are you listening?) because I had the Dickens of a time cutting "merry" from the Deco Sheets and had to snip most of it from the sheet with my scissors. I ended up tearing it while I was unsticking it from itself, and had to piece it back together on my card. It ended up where IT wanted to go, not where I wanted it to go, and it's a little wonky!
UPDATE: Thank you all for your comments/suggestions on my cutting plates. I have found if I adhere the Deco Sheets to plain card stock before cutting, I can get some pretty intricate cuts even with my old warped cutting pads. I knew this when I made the above goofie, but didn't have any more of the silver foil left to correct my mistake. I will be posting an example of this on a post later this week.
UPDATE: Thank you all for your comments/suggestions on my cutting plates. I have found if I adhere the Deco Sheets to plain card stock before cutting, I can get some pretty intricate cuts even with my old warped cutting pads. I knew this when I made the above goofie, but didn't have any more of the silver foil left to correct my mistake. I will be posting an example of this on a post later this week.
That's another Christmas card for my stash! It's almost time to get them in the mail! Where did the last 6 months go?
If you're not already playing along with Linda's challenge, it's not too late! This is a great way to get those Christmas cards or gift tags done. The guidelines are simple, and The Funkie Junkie Boutique is generously sponsoring the challenge! Everyone who follows the guidelines and completes the challenge gets a special discount voucher to use at Linda's shop, The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and Linda will be drawing three random winners on Dec. 30. There will be one $50 grand prize gift certificate to The Funkie Junkie Boutique given out plus two runner up prizes of $25 gift certificates! WOW!
I'm sharing with these challenges:
SumMore Fun Mood Board #16 Inspired by the white/neutral photos and the theme "Let it Snow".
Thank you for dropping by and for your lovely comments!
Hugs and Blessings!
Sara Emily
Below are the links to the products I've used which can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:
Fantastic card, Sara Emily! Do you use a magnetic platform when using your dies? I find it works much better in giving a clean cut if your cutting pads are a bit warped.
ReplyDeleteThis is so stunning, Sara Emily!! I love the tree ring background!! The design is so gorgeous!! I go through so many cutting pads, it's not even funny. I've tried to do all the things people say so they won't warp...I flip after each cut and all that but they still warp so bad, they end up bending the dies if I'm not careful. Thank goodness my local Hobby Lobby carries them and I can use my 40% off coupon :) Have a great day!! Big hugs :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
A Mermaid's Crafts
Fab card Sara - great background with the tree.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous creation! Thanks so much for playing in our ‘Anything SNOW’ challenge at Dies R Us! Please come back again soon!
ReplyDeleteDarlene (DRU Blog Leader)
DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS Please come for a visit.
The good news is, it's not the plates on your machine. I can't cut delicate designs from this stuff at all and have wasted half of my stash trying. This is fabulous and I'm delighted seeing your hand at the newest products (and even moreso to know that you have them now! :)) Glad you're catching up and big hugs, Autumn
ReplyDeleteI love the look of the tree ring die (not used mine yet) with the deer on top, it looks amazing and the deco sheets behind the flurries is really effective. Not sure if this helps, but I use a Precision Plate (metal) when I cut small things, and even the self adhesive stuff cuts OK. But I guess every machine is different! Hugs, Anne xx
ReplyDeleteSara this card is amazing and I am completely in love with that tree ring!!!! The crazing on the edge looks so flipping real, the effect is just incredible!It really, really looks like tree bark. The rest is gorgeous too! And I agree with Autumn, I ditched by big shot for the time being and dug out my old Spellbinders Grand Calibur, it does cut and emboss the thinlets dies a lot better, but my hunch is, that Tim realized the bigshot was not working with those dies, that's why he brought out the new Sidekick. I am going to visit Annie tomorrow, she just purchased the Sidekick, - I'll keep you posted on how well it does with those thinlets. I have been really frustrated with them lately too.... Oh and thanks of course for adding this beauty to Mixed Media Monthly!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous Christmas tag! Love, love, love all the details you put into this....the trees in the background, big tree ring, deer, and that tiny little bare tree! Absolutely perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up to Cropstop --- it's awesome to see your work appear in the link gallery!
Like everyoe else, I adore the wood slice that you created. The entire card is sensational. Love the black stag - it really pops so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteJust FYI, I don't believe you can cut the deco sheets unless you are using a precision base plate to cut on. I have never been able to cut that stuff without the Precision Base Plaate. So don't think it's your base plate or cutting pads that need to be replaced. In reality the cutting pads do not need to be replaced until they break. The person above who said they bend her dies is not using them properly. You should never cut into one of the plates, whether you cut into the top plate or the bottom plate, one should always be the non-cutting plate. I cut face up. My top pad gets flipped with every cut but still gets warped. My bottom pad never gets cut on so it never bends or warps, thus the die will not be damaged.
Thanks so much for this entry, Sara Emily. It is so inspiring!
Hugs,
Linda
This is so delightful! You did an amazing job with your design. Thanks so much for joining our challenge at Dies R Us.
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Dies R Us Challenge Blog DT
http://carterie-creative.blogspot.fr
What an absolutely stunning card! I love that tree slice die. WOW! Thank you so much for linking up with our mood board at SumMore Fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun card!! Loving that huge log!!Nice backdrop for the deer!
ReplyDeleteJackie xo
A great card Sara, love the wood slice die cut, the crazing makes it looks so real. A great take on Linda's tag.
ReplyDeleteAvril xx
So PRETTY! LOVE your design! Thanks so much for playing along with us over at SumMore Fun Stamps Blog! Have a great day!!
ReplyDeleteTheresa (VO Stamps/SumMore Fun DT)
Theresa’s Crafty Creations
I love your card, Sara Emily, you did an amazing job again with the tree ring and the shimmery deer looks great on top. Great background, too! Hugs :-)
ReplyDeleteyou have absolutely made me want to order that trunk die!! beautiful majestic card!! thanks for sharing it with us at Mixed media monthly!
ReplyDeleteSuper cute card for the Challenge at SumMoreFun Challenge, thank you for joining us. I look forward to seeing more of your entries. MaryAnn DT
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that deer! What an awesome card! Thanks for joining in on our new mood board at SumMore Fun! ~DT Jamie
ReplyDeleteI am in love with the rustic Christmas look this year and your card showcases that fabulously. Thank you for joining us at SumMore Fun! I look forward to seeing more creations in the future ~DT Heather
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. I love the Rustic look. Always my favorite Christmas cards. Thank you for joining us over at SumMoreFun! I hope you will join us again. SumMoreFun DT-Amy
ReplyDeleteStunning card, the tree slice looks so real! Thank you for joining us at Sum More Fun Sharon - DT member for Sum More Fun!
ReplyDeleteLove this so much - the tree ring is the perfect setting for that wonderful stag!
ReplyDeleteI find the metal base plate is a must for the intricate thinlits, but I don't have any of the DecoSheets, so I've no idea whether it helps with that.
Alison x