Christmas Card 2013

This year I opted to go the traditional-looking card route. I received these stamps as a Christmas gift in 2012 and couldn't wait to use them. Hope you enjoy this how-to on this traditional-looking Christmas card. The complete assembly of one card took ~6 minutes (time includes opening & closing each ink tray and cleaning stamps). Please note, assembly time does not include drying time of the 3D paint.

Paper Supplies:
    White card stock (use a thinner card stock for the card base)
    Black card stock
Stamps:
    InkadinkaClings Village Park
    InkadinkaClings Village Lifestyle
    Clear acrylic block
    Merry Christmas stamp of your choice (I used Hero Arts)
Ink:
    Staz-On Forest Green
    Color Box Ice
    Brilliance Coffee Bean
    Brilliance Black
Other:
    Scribbles 3D Fabric Paint in Christmas Green/Glittering Electric Green, Glittering Ruby, Crystal*
    *can substitute with glitter glue
Tools:
    Paper trimmer
    Scallop Corner Punch (I used Creative Memories)
    Adhesive of choice
    Tim Holtz Ink Blending Tool

Step 1
Cut white paper stock to 4-1/2" x 9"; cut white paper to 3-1/2" square; cut black paper stock to 4" square.

Step 2
Score 4-1/2" x 9" card base at 4-1/2" (this will fold to a square size of 4-1/2" x 4-1/2")

Step 3
Use your scallop corner punch to cut the corners of all pieces of the card (card base, white square and black square). If you used a thinner card base, you shouldn't have any problems punching through the folded side.

Step 4
Using Tim Holtz's Ink Blending Tool, you will use Color Box's Ice Ink and the 3-1/2" square sheets of white paper. Dip Blending tool in ink, insuring you have ink on the pad. In a circular motion, starting off the paper, move the blending tool onto the paper, continuing in a circular motion. Reink as necessary, cover 3/4 of the bottom of the 3-1/2" square paper.

Ice colored Ink, Blending Tool,
3-1/2" square white paper

Step 5
If you haven't already done so, attach cling stamps to acrylic block (sleigh and bridge on one side, then line up trees on the other side, next to where snow banks on bridge stamp ends, there can be minor overlap here).

Coffee Bean, Black and Forest Green
Inks, stamps, 3-1/2" square paper

Now stamp your images. You will want to stamp the bridge and sleigh first, that way you know where to position the trees. I inked the horse in Coffee Bean, inked everything else in black, then stamped my image. Flip over, ink trees in Forest Green and stamp image. Ink your Christmas saying in black, then stamp at bottom of picture.

 

Step 6
Adhere layers to card base. Center the 3-1/2" white square on the 4" black square, then center that on the 4-1/2" square card base.

Step 7
Apply 3D Paint.
Green - apply to garland along bridge side and wreath (do a complete circle for the wreath)
Red - apply to where the garland swoops meet, just a dot, along side of bridge and sleigh
Crystal/white - apply to snow on bridge railing and snow banks alongside and under bridge.

I didn't let the 3D paint dry before doing the next color. My suggestion is to do apply the paints in this order, especially if you are not going to wait for them to dry in between: green, red; crystal/white. Let dry.

For this step you will need the completed card and the three
different colors of 3D Paint: Green, Red and Crystal/White.

Step 8
Stamp your chosen message on the inside and add your signature stamp to the back.

Hope you enjoyed yet another Christmas card tutorial. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to improve this how-to, please leave your comments. I'd love to hear your feedback.