52CCT - Sketch ....

.... Hello! I hope everyone has settled back into their normal routines.  I'm still not quite back to normal - somehow I lost days last week, but I'm getting there.  I'm hosting our challenges over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT01-16 this month.  Our aim is to give you inspiration to build your Christmas card stash, so that you have time to relax in December.  As normal, our first challenge of the month is a sketch and I had lots of fun coming up with this one.   Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Alpine Christmas, Vintage Postcards, Off Beat Backgrounds, Vintage Circles Small; Stampin' Up! - Sheltering Tree
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; SU - Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Smokey Slate
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smokey Slate; Glitter

I used the colours from CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#155 as they seem just perfect.  I'm also submitting this card to the current Jingle Belles - JB:16:01 challenge where they would like us to use something brand new along with something old from our stash.  The new is the Vintage Postcards stamps (not brand new to me, but never used before) and the old is the rest!

I'm very pleased with this card; I wanted to challenge myself to make a one-layer, collage style card and I did it!  I used my MISTI to make sure that I got all the stamps straight, and I was able to stamp the tree a number of times to make it slightly darker then the stripes.  I finished the front by adding some sparkle to the dotty circle.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of grey card and on the white panel I stamped another tree and a Christmas greeting.

Don't forget to visit our blog and see the inspiration cards from the rest of the team.  You've got plenty of time to join in, deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 15th January (that's 7.00pm EDT).

This weekend is the Plymouth Ice Festival.  It started yesterday evening and runs through until Sunday.  Jonathan and I went last year when it was so, so cold with temperatures well below freezing. Which is just the kind of weather the organisers would like.  However, the forecast for today is rain showers this afternoon with a maximum temperature 7°C (45°F), which is not great!  We're going first thing in the morning, when it should still be cold and hopefully the sculptures won't have started melting!  That's all for now - have a great weekend!