papertake weekly challenge and a sneak peek...

- November 24, 2009

This weeks Papertake Weekly challenge is entitled "Cracked Christmas". The challenge is to show us your favorite Christmas card. This weeks sponsor is:

As I opened my design team package from the fabulous Kelley at Our Daily Bread Designs on Friday I was totally blown away by the beauty of the December releases (ODBD new release blog hop is Dec 1st)and had to immediately change what I was doing for todays challenge so that I could give you a little sneak peek.

Isn't that one of the most beautiful images you have ever seen??? I was so excited by this image that I immediately stamped it and began coloring. Unfortunately I was so excited that I colored it without even thinking about what I was going to do with it once I had it colored. Usually when I create a card I start with the paper and card stock, or sketch, then paper and card stock. I then color the image to coordinate. Because I colored the image first I need to do some tweaking to get everything to work together. Most of my tinkering involved using every distressing technique I know. The main image is colored with my favorite Lyra colored pencils blended with odorless mineral spirits and a blending stump. I then masked the poinsettia and sponged color onto the background using antique linen distressing ink. I then took my Linen background stamp, inked with the same distressing ink and stamped over the top of the image. At this point I layered the image onto soft suede card stock and began the process of cracked glass. SplitCoastStampers has an excellent tutorial on this technique but basically you add 3 layers of UTEE embossing powder over the image, freeze it then crack the glaze layer and rub ink into the cracks to highlight them. I then tied some melon mango polka dot ribbon that I toned down the color with more distressing ink. The background of the card is My Mind's Eye Signature Christmas designer paper that has been distressed in various ways. It was first stamped with the linen background stamp then embossed with the Textile Cuttlebug folder. I then sanded, roughed up, splattered and sponged all the pieces of designer paper and card stock.

What I used:

ODBD His Gifts

melon mambo, soft suede and whisper white card stock

My Mind's Eye Signature Christmas designer paper

Versafine black stamp pad

Versamark watermark stamp pad

UTEE embossing powder

antique linen and vintage photo Tim Holtz distress ink

Lyra colored pencils, OMS and blending stumps

stickles

soft suede marker

melon mambo polka dot ribbon