Snowy Noel Card

I try to make different holiday cards rather than make the same one over & over again – I get bored with the repetition.  Granted, there are times when an image or composition just feels so right that I stick with it and I’ll make more than one. I made more than one style of card using this particular image from Penny Black (Snowy Park, stamp # 3231K) and you will be seeing them later. I have had this rubber stamp for years and I don’t know why I don’t use it more often (and looking at the stamp, I don't think it would have to be used as a "Snowy Park", I bet I could use it as a "Spring Park" or "Fall Park". . .well, you get the idea)! The image was stamped on heavy vellum which I colored and then layered a few times.   

To make this card I used:

• Snowy Park image from Penny Black, #3231K
• Noel stamp from Penny Black, #3242E
• Heavy vellum (I think it is called cardstock vellum)
• Distress Markers in Brushed Corduroy, Pine Needles and Picket Fence
• Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
• Moon Glow 2 Toned embossing powder in Twilight Bronze Slate (Lindy’s Stamp Gang)
• Embossing Ink
• Heat Tool
• Shiny Gold photo corners from Xyron (discontinued)
• 2 different weights and tones of Gold Cardstock
• White Cardstock
• Square White Base Card (Square card measures 5 ¼” x 5 ¼”)

I first stamped the Snowy Park on the vellum with the Ranger Archival Jet Black and set it aside to dry.  When I stamped the image, I didn’t know what I was going to do with it so it actually sat to the side for a few days.  But, when stamping on vellum the longer the image has to set the better in my book.  I had also stamped the Noel stamp a few times with embossing ink and embossed with the powder (it is a shame you can’t really tell how beautiful the embossing powder is - to help you see the beauty of the embossing powder, I went to Lindy’s Stamp Gang and this is the image they use on their site – but even that isn’t as gorgeous as this powder is in real life), cut out the ones I felt were good enough to use on my cards and set them aside. 

 Twilight Bronze Slate EP from Lindy's Stamp Gang

And since I didn't take any pictures of the Penny Black images before I used them, here they are, direct from the site:

 

 Snowy Park, #3231k

  Noel, #3242E

(click on any of the above pictures and it will link you directly to the site)

I had seen a beautiful coloring on vellum on another blog and that’s when I decided I’d do the same with my image.  I turned the image over and loosely colored in some of the trees and the snow with the Distress Markers; I wasn’t terribly careful as the watercolor-like effect appeals to me. 

 

Here is a closer picture of the scene

 

 I set the colored image aside to dry while I mapped out the rest of the card.  Since the image was kind of dreary (i.e.: no sparkle) and I have no adhesive that successfully adheres vellum without being able to see it, I went through the many, many photo corners I have and settled on the shiny gold ones from Xyron.  They have been discontinued but if you have your heart set on duplicating the card, exactly as I have made it I am sure you can find some shiny gold photo corners.  I used the corners to anchor the image to the darker of the two gold cardstocks I used in the card.  I think I got the darker gold from Stampin’ Up! years ago but perhaps they still make it.  I also matted the “Noel” on the same darker gold.  Looking at the card I felt it still needed a little bit more something, so I chose a lighter gold, thinner cardstock I had in my stash to mat the image one more time.  For some reason the lighter cardstock ruffled after it dried but I don’t mind.  A happy accident that makes the card look that much more festive! I adhered the matted image and the sentiment on my white square card and I was done.  I think this card is very pretty and I hope you agree.  Thanks for reading my tutorial & visiting my blog ~ blessings!

And forgetting to add the picture of the finished card is what

happens when I try to blog after midnight - SORRY!!

 

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Embossing (the Noel is heat embossed)

Alphabet Challenge Blog - V for Vellum

Rhedd And Rosie Challenge Blog - Use Old Stash (the rubber stamps I used are at least 8 years old)

CraftyHands Challenge Blog – Season’s Greetings/Winter Theme

Left of Center Creative Challenges - LOC or Winter/Holidays (I chose winter & holidays)