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Tuesday 6 November 2012

Deck the halls with one layer of holly

The lovely Ardyth is hosting One Layer Wednesday this week - or is that last week?! - and her challenge is to create a one layer card based on a song. I could've gone anywhere with this but it was half term so my time was limited, and also I needed to get on with Christmas cards, so I went with the rather predictable 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly'. Come and see:


The gorgeous focal sentiment comes from my new Merry and Type stamp set which not only contains some fabulous vintage-style sentiments but some fabulous strong images too. I can't wait to show you more cards made with it! On this card, I masked the sentiment with a cut-to-size post it note before stamping the holly outline image from Watercolour Winter and colouring it in with ink and an aquapainter.


If I zoom in you can see the effect. I love the different shades you get on the leaves with just one ink and adding a dot with a Soft Suede marker makes the berries look more realistic. After removing the mask I gave my sentiment a double frame with the Simply Scored board and sponged the edges of the card with River Rock ink.

You may have noticed (!) that my sentiment isn't as crisp as it could be. I was using my old-style ink pad, and perhaps it could do with a re-fill, but the new firm foam-filled pads give a much better, cleaner finish - even with solid stamps - with just a light tap into the ink. My new in-colour ink pads came in the new style and this is what the sentiment looks like in Raspberry Ripple...


...much crisper, even on the porous Naturals Ivory card stock, and with no pressure into the ink pad at all. Amazing!

Here's what you'll need to make this card
Stamps: Merry and Type, Watercolour Winter
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red, River Rock, Soft Suede
Card stock: Naturals Ivory
Other: Markers, Simply Scored, aquapainter, stamp-a-majig
I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and have them delivered straight to your address in the UK, France, Deutschland, Nederland or Osterreich. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on +44 (0) 1280 820593. Check out current special offers here.

The children went back to school yesterday. I'd tried to schedule posts during half term so that I had more time to spend with them and we did have fun. The last day of the holiday was wet and windy, so we curled up in front of the fire with a board game we'd found in a charity shop called Game of Life - does anyone remember it? It's a great game where a combination of your choices and the roll of the dice gets you through 'life'. I'm still chuckling over my youngest son, who, on landing on yet another 'pay up' square, looked up, sighed and said: "There's no end to the bills - am I right?!" This is mostly funny because he's a very English child - I think he must have been watching too much American TV!

I'll be back tomorrow with something suitable for a male birthday. Hope you'll come back and have a look!

17 comments:

  1. Such a lovely CAS Christmas card, Vicky:) Your stamping and colouring looks fabulous...I love the holly. Love the sentiment on it's own, too:) x

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  2. Beautiful Christmas card Vicky, I love the watercolour effect and the beautiful holly images.

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  3. Love your card Vicky and great traditional sentiment

    Anne

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  4. Love this gorgeous one layer card - the watercolouring is stunning and making me want that set, even though I would have said it wasn't my style! Gorgeous! Thanks so much for playing along with my OLW challenge (and for the 'lovely' compliment!) We have Life's Twists and Turns, where you use a credit card in an electronic machine to keep track of your money - my kids love it!

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  5. Gorgeous subtle colouring on the holly and I do LOVE that sentiment!
    I remember Game of Life - I take it your son lost....
    Tara
    x

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  6. Love your simple, but elegant card, Vicky.

    What lucky children having their Mum play board games with them - too many children never experience that pleasure. I had to giggle at your little one's comment about the bills - so cute.

    Hugs,
    Jennifer. x

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  7. Beautiful card-your colouring and stamping as always is perfect Vicky :) and i think your son has "life" to a T !! Oh,i'm Nessa by the way xx (Jay is my Lurcher SOS name)-you saw it on my tags didn't you ? !!) and my own Greyhound girl is called Jay too :) xx

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  8. out of the mouths of babes, or rather young gentlemen! he's so right, never heard or seen the game before. gorgeous card, perfect one layer which won't cost a bomb to post! Karen x

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  9. Lovely card, one layer can be so scary! I have tried the new pads and they're very juicy aren't they? That raspberry ripple looks delicious too
    Louise xx

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  10. So pretty and love the scoring on this too!
    Lynn

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  11. LOVE this one-layer beauty, Vicky!! It has gorgeous colors, scored lines/ textures and details! You have truly mastered in perfecting the one-layer cards!

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  12. Beautiful card as always! And yes I do remember the Game of Life - used to play it all the time. I remember the journalist was the highest paid - well now that I am one, I feel like writing to the manufacturers to complain, LOL!

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  13. What a beautiful card vicky a real Christmas card, love the sentiment stamp and the beautiful holly the scoring is a beautiful adition. Oh I miss those time when the family is all together and playing games such lovely memories ah...

    Marie

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  14. Love the dimension you achieved with the scoring around the sentiment Vicky. The holly is gorgeous:) We love family games too, mainly scrabble and Rummikubs.
    Val x

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  15. Love this card! And you brought back many memories of playing Life with my brothers and sisters! We played it and Monopoly a lot! Your son's comment made me laugh!

    Kris in Alaska
    funamom at yahoo dot com

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  16. this one is gorgeous! love how you placed the hollies on the corner, have a nice day!

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I'd love to know what you think. Do leave me a comment - it always makes my day! Vicky x


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