Mixed Media .....

.... Hi! Hope you're all having a good week, it's been lovely here in Northville, in fact, it was really warm yesterday and didn't feel much like autumn!! I don't have a card for you today, I've got a page from my small Dylusions journal. After Dyan came to our local craft shop, Scrappy Chic, two years ago, those of us who attended her classes set up an Art Journal club. We're called the Scrappy Chic Kitchen Roll Sprayers Art Journal Club and we still meet on the last Sunday of each month. Last Sunday the challenge was to create a Christmas something - tag, page, card, etc. I thought it was time to create a page instead of just making backgrounds!!!

Stamps: Dylusions - Christmas Backgrounds, Bordering on the Edge, Christmas Words
Inks/Paints: Dylusions Paints - Polished Jade, Cut Grass; Distress Ink - Pine Needles; Archival Ink - Paradise Teal
Accessories: Dylusions Small Journal; Dylusions Holiday Colouring Sheets; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Sakura Stardust Pens; Stencils; Wink of Stella - Clear; Ranger - Collage Glue Stick; Stabilo - Black Watercolour pencil

I used a background that I made ages ago using the baby wipe technique and I'm fairly sure that the colours I used were Polished Jade, Cut Grass and Lemon Zest (although you can't see much of the lemon). I added a simple border and some holly using a stencil and stamp. These fun Santa characters come from the Holiday Colouring Sheets booklet. I used Zig brushes to colour them and then carefully cut them out along with the ornament and fir branch border. I used the collage glue stick to adhere the images to the page. I drew around all the images with a black watercolour pencil and smudged it out with a water brush. I added lots of sparkle to the beards with a clear Wink of Stella brush and finished the page with a simple Christmas greeting. It was such fun making this page. I'm going to submit it to the following challenges:

• Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - SSWC2911 - Anything Goes
• Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#16 - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - HLSXMAS#11 - Anything Goes

You can see all the sparkle on the beards in the detail photo above. I really must create more finished pages - it really is lots of fun. That's all for now. See you again soon.

52CCT - Technique ....

....  Good morning!  It's the last Saturday of the month and that means it's time for our technique challenge here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  This week our technique challenge is Mixed Media.  If you're not sure what Mixed Media is, this might help:

"A mixed media card uses a variety of effects and techniques. You could use embossing paste and powders, stencilling, stitching, die-cuts, embellishments, gesso, fabric, glitter, found objects, chipboard, watercolour, chalks, acrylic paints, inks, crayons, printing...The list is endless! This could be the perfect opportunity to try a new technique or use that interesting product that has been sitting around in your craft stash."

Basically - go wild on your Christmas or winter themed card.  Here's the card I made:

Stamps: Dylusions - Christmas Backgrounds, Christmas Words, Various (from craft class)
Inks: Archival - Leaft Green, Sepia; Versafine - Onyx Black; Dylusions Inks - Fresh Lime, Vibrant Turquoise, Calypso Teal; Distress Stains - various (craft class); Distress - Black Soot
Dies: Waltzingmouse - Stitched Tag; PTI - Wet Paint Holiday
Accessories: White Lustre Card;  Washi Tape; Wink of Stella - Green, Pink; Thread; Stencil Creative Expressions - Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! Card - Bermuda Bay

I started by laying on a snowflake stencil and spraying on three Dylusions inks, quickly blotting off the excess to leave the white pattern.  I created my own stencil using three festive words and sponging through with black ink.  Next I used a couple of Christmas background stamps and randomly stamped some holly and trees on to the background.  I added colour with green and pink Wink of Stella brushes.  Previously I've made a number of tags at craft class, but they were all too big for the card, so I picked one to coordinate and die cut a smaller tag from it.  I sponged the edges of the tag with black ink.  I printed a fun sentiment (which I wish were true) on some coloured card, cut it out and added it to the tag.  I finished the tag with some lime green thread and adhered it to the card with dimensional tape.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of card and added some more holly to the white panel.

I did have fun making this card and got quite inky!!!  Don't forget to visit our blog to check out the inspiration projects from the rest of the team.  The main thing is to have fun - you've got until Friday 3rd July midnight BST (that's 7.00pm EDT) to submit your cards. Have a fun weekend!