Merry Christmas
Hi Creative Friends,
I am sharing a Christmas card design featuring a beautiful stamp set by Penny Black called Snowbird Song. I couldn’t go through the season without using this stamp and die set at least once as it offers crisp and delicate pine branches, and if you choose, charming little birds. I didn’t use the birds this time (surprise, surprise), but I will be sure to next time
I started with a 5×7 hot-pressed watercolor paper panel, low-tack craft tape (my favorite is the Spellbinders Best Ever Craft Tape – see supply list below), and the pine branch stamp from the set. You can make this card without a stamp positioner, but it is a must in my book!
With the watercolor panel in my positioner and the stamp mounted, I used a variety of inks to stamp the image. I started with Forest Moss on the branch itself and the upper and inner areas of the pine needles. I added Rustic Wilderness to the rest of the branch and pine needles and stamped. Then, I lightly spritzed the stamp with water and stamped again (be sure not to ‘drown’ your stamp with water – just a mist will do the trick!). From there, I stamped again, this time using Peeled Paint and a little Chipped Sapphire. Each of these colors seems to work together nicely, and each adds a little something to the depth and color of the branch and needles.
Before I went to the next step, I stamped the hanging ornament using Nocturne waterproof ink.
After the ink was dry and before I went any further, I prepared my panel.by adding low-tack tape around all the edges and cutting a circle from masking paper, and pressing it in place. Here is a pic of how it should look.
Using a light touch, I began to blend Chipped Sapphire distress ink to the background. I was careful to build more layers of ink in the upper left corner, and got lighter with the ink as I made my way to the bottom of the panel.
The ornament was painted with my brush and Lumberjack Plaid red distress ink, adding a little Chipped Sapphire for shading.
When satisfied with the background, I moved the pine branch stamp around the panel, stamping very light impressions of the pine needle clusters.
Next was the sentiment. It was stamped using Concord & 9th Rainforest ink – it seemed to be a perfect color match for the scene.
The moon mask was removed, and I very lightly blended a little Chipped Sapphire for added shading.
Before removing the tape and mounting it onto an Alabaster card base, white ink was splattered to create a snowy scene.
Next was the removal of the taped border. It is always a thrill to remove the tape to reveal a crisp border!
That completes my card for today. I hope you enjoyed it and that you will consider giving it a whirl yourself! ♥
Goodies Used:
