Raise a toast

It's the last day of the year and I'm just managing to squeak in with an entry for December's challenge at Let's Squash It!

Gail and Jo gave us free rein this time - any folder, any technique. I went back to May's challenge to find a way to create white space alongside the embossed texture. I did it this time by laying my top plate part way up the folder so I didn't get the full impression. Then I turned the paper and did the same the other end, leaving a clear strip across for stamping the sentiment.I used a score board to create more defined edges for the embossed areas.

This folder is intended as snow but it's always made me think of champagne bubbles so I used some ivory pearlescent paper and teamed it up with champagne flutes to make a card that could toast the New Year.

Stamps:
Champagne Celebration (Crafters Companion)
Birthday (Letter It by Ranger) 

Paper:
Stardream
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Softly Falling embosing folder (Stampin' Up!)
Scor ItCopic markers
Copic Spica glitter pen (gold)
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by - whether you're raising a glass of champagne tonight or celebrating some other way, cheers! Let's hope 2022 is a bit kinder to us all.

Through the trees

The challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week has a focus on trees - one tree, a whole forest, Christmassy or not - up to you!

It's white-out conditions in the birch forest - it's lucky that gnomes have a good sense of direction! This one is standing in a sparkly snowdrift (not sure how well that shows up on the photo) and peeping round a tree trunk to say a seasonal hello.

The card front is embossed and I used a craft knife to cut slits either side of one of the trunks so that I could slot in the little fussy cut gnome behind the trunk.

Lost Coast Designs have a gnome theme for their currect challenge so I'm linking up there too, all the challenge details are here.

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Woodland embossing folder (Stampin' Up)
Copic markers
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Ice White)
Glamour Dust by Deco Art (Crystal)
Hello die (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - November

It's reveal day at Card Chain Challenge. Mine has gone over the Pond to Greta this time. 

I intended to use the sketch but I did it from memory rather than actually looking at it as I created so it’s an approximation! I also used the themes of polar animals and snowflakes. I think you can just about see the silvery stamped snowflakes on the right hand side of the card, they show up better at some angles than others. 

I used an oval die to cut an aperture to ink my central “frame” for the penguins and doodled round it with a gel pen just to add some extra definition. The sentiment is a die cut but other than that it’s a single layer card again, my usual preference for Card Chain Challenge cards!

Stamps:
Bundled Penguins (Stampendous)
Flurries (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board
Black

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)
Delicata by Tsukineko (Silvery Shimmer)

Other:
Copic markers
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Ice White)
Glamour dust by DecoArt (Crystal)
Hello die (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)
Oval Nesatbilities (Spellbinder)
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!