2013 Christmas Cards, pt 3

I was asked to make several Christmas cards with an outdoors theme. Finding stamps to fit was no problem, but making the image in my head and the materials at hand mesh . . . that was the hard part. I had an image of a forest background, with the animal heads and the greeting specified. It did not come out as visioned. The greens I had at hand weren't dark enough, and the square images looked too clunky.




STAMPS: Tree Background (Northwoods);
Noble Deer, Yukon, Many Merry Messages (SU)
PAPER: Darice * INK: Forest, Black (SU) * ACCESSORIES: Raffia 

So . . . I scrapped that design and started over. This time I stamped a linen background, with pine boughs and pine cones over that in the same color, then sponged on a bit of burgandy. I would have prefered a slightly darker green, but apparently almost all of my greens need replacing as they are drying out and not stamping very well. So, I settled for Certainly Celery ink. I then punch out the deer and bear heads with circle punches, and made a simple matting across the center for the greeting. To add a bit of sparkle, I used a dab of Diamond Stickles on either side of the greeting. Still not quite what I envisioned, but I am happier with it than I was the first attempt.



STAMPS: Linen, Fantastic Foliage, Noble Deer, Yukon,
Many Merry Messages (SU)
PAPER: Darice * INK: Burgandy, Certainly Celery, Black (SU)
ACCESSORIES: Circle Punches * TECHNIQUE: Sponging