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Sunday 24 November 2019

Different ways to use a stamp

Hello crafting friends!

I have a couple of cards to show you today that use the same stamp in very different ways. One of the cards was a doddle to make and I banged out eight of them in an hour or two while chatting and crafting with a friend...


... The other card took practically a whole day and had me shrieking like a baboon as everything went wrong! Can you guess which is which?

THE FIRST CARD
This started with a greeting made out of some of the words in Stampin' Up's Merry Christmas To All. I arranged 'wishing you a' and 'Christmas' on a single block and stamped it in black ink, while 'Happy' went on a separate block and was stamped in red.


All the gorgeous leaves and branches I used to decorate around the greeting are from Uniko's Winter Foliage. This card was simple and everything went according to plan :)


THE SECOND CARD
I think the problem with this one is that I had only a vague plan for it! I started by masking off the edges of a thick card base. The remaining space was stamped in versamark ink with the snowflake from Stampin' Up's Winter Post (retired), then heat embossed with white embossing powder. The card base warped badly but I saved it by running it through my big shot a few times.


I used the fir branch from the first card to stamp over the embossed snowflakes, left and top, sponging a little extra ink round the edges for definition. The snowflakes were polished off with a tissue. I cut an off-centre square out of a card panel (it turned out to be in the wrong place so I had to do it again.) This was placed over the embossed card base and looked ok so I was encouraged to go on!


I then spent many ages of this world adding things, taking them away, trying a variety of sentiments which all went horribly wrong... until I ended up with this reindeer from the Winter Post set, a sentiment from Clearly Besotted's Simply Said, and a little garland made with tiny circles punched out of shiny gold card with a cropadile.


CHALLENGES
As always, I am so grateful for all the wonderful challenge sites out there that inspire us all. I shall link both cards up with The Twofer Challenge, where the theme this month is Holiday Foliage and the foliage I've used in both cards is the fir branch. The second card was made using the beautiful sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. I shall also link it up with Perfectly CAS where the theme is Christmas; Jingle Belles, where we are taking inspiration from their header; and Festive Friday, where I've chosen Woodland Creatures, Leaves and Gold from the inspiration list.


AND IN OTHER NEWS
We are getting to that time of year where the light levels are shockingly low if it's cloudy, even at nearly midday. Of course that means it's nearly Christmas which brings with it friends and family, glowing fires and decorations, feasting and fun... so it's not all bad!

Are there things that you love about this time of year? Or would you prefer to hibernate until spring like a polar bear? Do let me know in the comments below :)

Hugs,

29 comments:

  1. No matter what you had to go through with these cards Vicky, they are so beautiful, sometimes accidents work out very well as here.
    As for hibernating, I would hibernate all through December and wake on Jan 5th in time for my 3rd brother's birthday and all the Christmas things are finished with - bah! humbug! Although all my cards are made and written and will be off the first of December. :)
    Faith x

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    1. So you're a hibernator Faith! I do understand. I'm happy to go on until after Christmas and then I'd like a nice snooze until March when it's my youngest son's birthday and we can get ready to Spring! Well done on the Christmas card organisation! x

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  2. I love both your distinctly different designs, Vicky! You gotta love a design that comes together easily and can be used for batch-making like your first festive Happy Christmas card! And then you turn around and are confronted by the temperamental design that fights you at every turn. Like a difficult child, lol! But you persevered and the end result is an elegant, shiny, and wonderful tactile holiday scene!! Thank you so much for playing Twofer Card Challenge #22! Hugs, Darnell

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  3. Both designs are fantastic, Vicky! The second was totally worth all the angst! I love that one the best! That bit of shiny garland makes it extra interesting! I love this time of year and the coziness of early evenings with candles glowing.

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    1. Thanks Bonnie! I love this time of year too, fires and candles and rich colours and tactile fabrics - and the excitement of the run up to Christmas.

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  4. What a beautiful set of cards! They're both perfect to celebrate Christmas! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

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    1. Thanks for inspiring us all with that gorgeous sketch Jen!

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  5. Both cards are beautiful Vicky, isn't it funny how some cards take on a mind of their own :)

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    1. That's it isn't it - sometimes the plans in your head translate to the paper so easily but sometimes they fight back!

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  6. Those trials and tribulations happen to me more often than not! Love what you came up with though, on both cards. I'd like to hibernate up to Christmas Eve and after Boxing Day! Xxx

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    1. Lol, I don't believe a word of it Lesley!
      Hm, an interesting hibernating concept. Would someone else have managed all the organising of Christmas? If so, I'm with you! If not, I can't help feeling a can of soup for Christmas lunch might be a little bleak! xxx

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  7. They are both gorgeous and well worth the time taken. I agree that light levels suck... not great when you have a bunch of cards to photograph before sending them! xoxo

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    1. I know. And only another 8 months before spring... that's what it feels like anyway! xx

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  8. Glad you stuck with it, both cards are beautiful. Thank you for playing along with the Perfectly CAS challenge xx

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    1. Thanks Linda - and thanks for choosing my card as your Pick! xx

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  9. Delightful duo, Vicky! I love the simplicity, and the beauty of your first card, and it's so wonderful to be able to replicate them quickly, too! But for all the trouble it gave you, your second card is extremely lovely! The extra headache was soooo worth it. It's stunning. Love them both. Thank you for joining us at The Twofer Challenge. Bev

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    1. Oh bless you, thank you Bev. My trouble is that I expect the things in my head to come out on paper straight away and get frustrated if they don't!

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  10. fabulous combination of embossing and stamping ... so very glad you joined us at Jingle Belles.

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    1. It's been so lovely joining in with Jingle Belles this year :)

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  11. Beautiful cards, Vicky! There are so many fabulous details on the second card. The garland really sets it off. Thank you for sharing at Festive Friday!

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    1. Thanks Ann - and thanks for the wonderful inspiration at Festive Friday. I've been trying to join in for ages!

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  12. Beautiful cards Vicky! Love the embossed detail on the second card. Thanks for joining us at Festive Friday!

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    1. Thanks Anne Marie! Will be looking out for the next challenge!

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  13. Beautiful Cards and fabulous designs!

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  14. love that gorgeous reindeer and all the texture you have added! thanks for joining our JINGLE BELLES fun!

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    1. This has been one of my favourite of your challenges Lauren!

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  15. Just love your cards Vicky as you well know of old... simply lovely!
    Sorry this visit is so late but Christmas kinda took over!
    Thanks for sharing with Perfectly CAS and have a very Happy New Year!
    Chrissie

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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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