More Christmas makes......just when you thought it was all over, lol!

Hiya, I'm back again with my VIP cards this time. 

These were all created in my favourite 8 x 8 format and were all very different but first I'll share a mixed media tag I made for a swap in a Facebook group I belong to.  If you need a bit of inspiration sometimes (I think we all do) and/or enjoy different swaps this is the group to go to.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukstampersforum/

I had cut a large tag from corrugated card and stripped some of the paper off the top before trying out a bit of Finnabair's patina pastes and it had been lying on my desk for weeks so I covered it with gesso and inked the edges black.   I stencilled stars using clear texture paste to which I added sparkly embossing powder.  Across the bottom I stuck some snips of Angelina fibres and film.   I then did some die cutting on the trusty Big Shot (love mine) and assembled lots of embellishments including berries, flowers (to mimic Christmas roses again), a star and lovely lamp post.  I used some Seth Apter Baked Texture embossing powder on the lamp post and loved the effect.  

 A fair bit of sparkle (for me, lol) was added to other bits and bobs like the deer, the star and number 25

I then decided to add some metallic watercolour paint around the lamp area.....now why didn't I do this BEFORE I stuck the lamp post down, lol!  Finally I stamped the wording, cut it out and edged with black before sticking them to the tag.

Now for the cards.......

I was so pleased with the tag above and hubby loved it too so I adapted the design to fit an 8 x 8 card for my lovely Son and Daughter's families.  The techniques used were exactly the same as for the tag except I didn't use corrugated card and I added some natural sisal to the arrangement of embellishments at the bottom.

Another 8 x 8 card but this time a clean and simple design.  I used a beautiful snowflake stamp by IndigoBlue and added guilding flakes before matting onto green card and then onto my card base.

  I stamped the sentiment using a green Distress Oxide ink and clear embossed then matted onto the green card.

8 x 8 again for this third one but totally different to the other two.  I had this gorgeous 12 x 12 sheet of designer paper from a pad I bought years ago.  I loved it so much I couldn't bring myself to use it which was daft because it was tuck in a box unseen by anyone.  During my clear out last year I rediscovered it and vowed it would get used so I cut one corner into 8 x 8, edged it with gold pen and matted onto co-ordinating card before sticking to the card base.  It already had some subtle fine glittering so I didn't add anything else to the paper.

I gave two of the Anna Marie birch bark stars touches of gold pen and die cut some stars from another designer paper, edged them with gold pen and adhered them all to the card.

Finally, I stamped the sentiment and words onto scraps of the dp and stuck those to the card and stars.   I absolutely loved this card and the vintage look of it when it was finished.

And the last one (don't cheer, lol)!  Another 8 x 8 with the top layer matted onto co-ordinating dark blue card.  I centred a circle mask over my card and blended some blue ink in from the edges, slightly more at the top.  I then used one of my favourite Chocolate Baroque Christmas stamps which is a complete little scene in one.  I stamped with Claire Versafine Twilight and then used some blue ink and a brush to lightly watercolour the image a little. 

 I added highlights with clear Sakura sparkle pen and stamped the CB sentiment.  Finally I stamped the pine branch onto separate card and clear embossed before cutting it out and arranging a little cluster of berries, flowers and pearls on fine filament.

It is quite funny that from not having a clue where to start with my cards for last Christmas I ended up making some of my absolute favourites.  Hope you liked them too and maybe they'll give you a bit of inspiration if you remember them when you start yours for Christmas 2019.

My next post will be a part catch up on general cards and stuff but I'll leave those for another day.

Hugs

Lesley  Xx